Series Circuits

PREPARED BY: ALEXANDER T. MONTERO, REE, RME

Series Circuits
A series circuit is constructed by combining various
elements in series.
Two elements are said to be in series if they are connected
at a single point and if there are no other current-carrying
connections at this point.
The current is the same everywhere in a series circuit.
Kirchhoff’s Voltage Law
The summation of voltage rises and voltage drops around a
closed loop is equal to zero. Symbolically, this may be stated as
follows:

A closed loop is defined as any path which originates at a point,

travels around a circuit, and returns to the original point without
retracing any segments.
Kirchhoff’s Voltage Law
The summation of voltage rises is equal to the summation of
voltage drops around a closed loop.

Following the current path:

Opposite to current flow:

Kirchhoff’s Voltage Law
Kirchhoff’s Voltage Law
 Resistors in Series
Consider the circuit shown in Figure 5–10.
Since the circuit is a closed loop, the voltage
source will cause a current I in the circuit. This
current in turn produces a voltage drop across
each resistor, where

Applying Kirchhoff’s voltage law to the closed

loop gives
 Resistors in Series
If we were to replace all the resistors with an
equivalent total resistance, RT , then the circuit
would appear as shown in Figure 5–11.
However, applying Ohm’s law to the circuit of
Figure 5–11 gives

If each of the n resistors has the same value,

then the total resistance is determined as
Resistors in Series
Resistors in Series
Any voltage source connected to the terminals of a network of
series resistors will provide the same current as if a single
resistance, having a value of RT , were connected between the
open terminals. From Ohm’s law we get

The power dissipated by each resistor is determined as

Resistors in Series
Power delivered by a voltage source to a circuit is given as

Since energy must be conserved, the power delivered by the

voltage source is equal to the total power dissipated by all the
resistors. Hence
Resistors in Series
Resistors in Series
Resistors in Series
Voltage Sources in Series
If a circuit has more than one voltage source in
series, then the voltage sources may effectively be
replaced by a single source having a value that is
the sum or difference of the individual sources.
Since the sources may have different polarities, it
is necessary to consider polarities in determining
the resulting magnitude and polarity of the
equivalent voltage source.
Voltage Sources in Series
If the polarities of all the voltage
sources are such that the sources
appear as voltage rises in given
direction, then the resultant source is
determined by simple addition, as
shown in Figure 5–15.
Voltage Sources in Series
If the polarities of the voltage sources do not
result in voltage rises in the same direction, then
we must compare the rises in one direction to the
rises in the other direction.
The magnitude of the resultant source will be the
sum of the rises in one direction minus the sum of
the rises in the opposite direction.
The polarity of the equivalent voltage source will
be the same as the polarity of whichever direction
has the greater rise.
Voltage Sources in Series
Consider the voltage sources shown in Figure 5–16.

If the rises in one direction were equal to the rises in the

opposite direction, then the resultant voltage source would be
equal to zero.
Interchanging Series Components
The order of series components may be changed without
affecting the operation of the circuit.
The two circuits in Figure 5–17 are equivalent.
Interchanging Series Components
Very often, once the circuits have been redrawn it
becomes easier to visualize the circuit operation.
Therefore, we will regularly use the technique of
interchanging components to simplify circuits
before we analyze them.
Interchanging Series Components
Interchanging Series Components
Interchanging Series Components
The Voltage Divider Rule
The voltage dropped across any series resistor is
proportional to the magnitude of the resistor. The
total voltage dropped across all resistors must
equal the applied voltage source(s) by KVL.
The voltage divider rule allows us to determine the
voltage across any series resistance in a single
step, without first calculating the current.
The Voltage Divider Rule
Any number of resistors in series the current in the circuit is
determined by Ohm’s law as

By again applying Ohm’s law, the voltage drop across any resistor
in the series circuit is calculated as
The Voltage Divider Rule
Now, by substituting into the
we write the voltage divider rule for two resistors as a simple
equation:

In general, for any number of resistors the voltage drop across

any resistor may be found as
The Voltage Divider Rule
The Voltage Divider Rule
Circuit Ground
Ground is simply an “arbitrary electrical point of reference” or
“common point” in a circuit.
Using the ground symbol in this manner usually allows the
circuit to be sketched more simply.
Circuit Ground
When the ground symbol is used arbitrarily to designate a
point of reference, it would be just as correct to redraw the
circuit schematic showing all the ground points connected
together or indeed to redraw the circuit using an entirely
different point of reference.
The circuits shown in Figure 5–25 are exactly equivalent
circuits even though the circuits of Figure 5–25(a) and 5–
25(c) use different points of reference.
Circuit Ground
The metal chassis of an appliance is connected to the
circuit ground. Such a connection is referred to as a chassis
ground and is usually designated as shown in Figure 5–
24(b).
In order to help prevent electrocution, the chassis ground
is usually further connected to the earth ground through a
connection provided at the electrical outlet box. In the
event of a failure within the circuit, the chassis would
redirect current to ground (tripping a breaker or fuse),
rather than presenting a hazard to an unsuspecting
operator.
Circuit Ground
Everyone is familiar with the typical
120-Vac electrical outlet shown in
Figure 5–26.
The rounded terminal of the outlet is
always the ground terminal and is used
not only in ac circuits by may also be
used to provide a common point for dc
circuits.
Circuit Ground
As the name implies, the earth ground is a connection
which is bonded to the earth, either through water pipes
or by a connection to ground rods.
When a circuit is bonded to the earth through the ground
terminal, then the ground symbol no longer represents an
arbitrary connection, but rather represents a very specific
type of connection.
Circuit Ground

Answer:
The chassis of the oven is grounded when it is connected to the electrical
outlet.
Voltage Double Subscript
Voltages are always expressed as the potential
difference between two points.
In a 9-V battery, there is a 9-volt rise in potential
from the negative terminal to the positive
terminal.
Current through a resistor results in a voltage drop
across the resistor such that the terminal from
which charge leaves is at a lower potential than
the terminal into which charge enters.
Voltage Double Subscript
If we wish to express the voltage between two points
(say points a and b in a circuit), then we express such
a voltage in a subscripted form (e.g., Vab), where the
first term in the subscript is the point of interest and
the second term is the point of reference.
Voltage Double Subscript
Consider the series circuit of Figure 5–27.
If we label the points within the circuit a, b, c, and d, point b is at a
higher potential than point a by an amount equal to the supply
voltage. So writing mathematically as Vab = + 50 V
If we examine the voltage at point a with respect to point b, we
see that a is at a lower potential than b.
This may be written mathematically as Vab = - 50 V
Voltage Double Subscript
Current through the circuit results in voltage drops across the
resistors as shown in Figure 5–27. If we determine the voltage
drops on all resistors and show the correct polarities, then we
see that the following must also apply:
Voltage Double Subscript
The voltage between any other two points within the circuit is
the sum the voltages between the two points, taking into
account the polarities of the voltages.
The voltage between points b and d would be determined as
follows:

Similarly, the voltage between points b and a could be

determined by using the voltage drops of the resistors:
Voltage Double Subscript
Voltage Double Subscript
Voltage Single Subscript
In a circuit which has a reference point (or ground point),
most voltages are no longer expressed using a dual
subscript.
The voltage at point a with respect to ground is simply refer
to Va. Similarly, the voltage at point b would be referred to
as Vb.
Therefore, any voltage which has only a single subscript is
always referenced to the ground point of the circuit.
If the voltage at various points in a circuit is known with
respect to ground, then the voltage between the points may
be easily determined as follows:
Voltage Single Subscript
Voltage Single Subscript