ET1135 Fundamentals

of Electricity

1.4 Series Circuits

Multiple Resistors
• So far, all example circuits where we applied Ohm’s
Law include one and only one resistor.

• But what if there are more than one?

• Will the current in the circuit increase? Will it

decrease?
Multiple Resistors

Resistors are in SERIES

Resistors are Parallel

Series Circuits
• In a series circuit, the electrical current must flow
through every component, one after another
(hence “in series”)
• Note that if the current into resistor 1 is 2A, then
the current into resistor is also 2A, same for resistor
3. (Use the water analogy)
Ohm’s Law for Series Circuits
• Since the current through all resistors must be the
same, all we have to do is use Ohm’s law once.

• To use Ohm’s law for a series circuit, we need to

replace all the resistors in series with a single
equivalent resistor.

• Rtotal (series) = R1 + R2 + R3 + …..

Example 1:

Ohm’s Law states: I = V/RT

I = 9/450
I = 0.02A
Ohm’s Law for Series Circuits
• So, the total current for an equivalent single
resistor is 0.02A (20 mA)

• What is the current passing through resistor 1?

__________

• What is the current passing through resistor 2?

__________
Try it yourself!
• What is the electrical current in the following circuit
if the voltage source is 25v, R1 is 100 ohms, R2 is
500 ohms, and R3 is 300 ohms?

I=
Try it yourself!
• What is R3 in the following circuit if the voltage
source is 5v, R1 is 50 ohms, R2 is 100 ohms, and the
current is 0.0143A?

R3 =
Kirchhoff’s Voltage Law
• Definition: The total sum of voltage rises and drops
around a closed loop is zero.
• This can be written as:

• So a circuit with a single 1.5v battery must have a total

voltage drop of 1.5v somewhere else on the loop.
• If there is only one resistor, then the voltage must
decrease by 1.5v across that resistor.
Kirchhoff’s Voltage Law

+ 9v - 9v

 
∑ 𝑉 =+9 + (− 9 ) =0 𝑣
Kirchhoff’s Voltage Law
• We can use this law to calculate the voltage drops
across resistors in series using the calculated
current and the known resistance of a particular
resistor.
• Recall the first example:
I = 0.02A

So the current at all points in the circuit is 0.02A

Example 2
I = 0.02A

•  Total Voltage dropover all resistors = 9v

• Voltage dropR1: VR1= R1I = 100*0.02 = 2v
• Voltage dropR2: VR2= R2I = 300*0.02 = 6v
• Voltage dropR3: VR3= R3I = 50*0.02 = 1v

• Check answer: 
Try It Yourself
• Solve for the current and the voltage drops across
each of the resistors in the circuit below:
I = _____________________

V1 = ____________________

V2 = ____________________

V3 = ____________________
Use this slide to show your work