Parallel CIrcuits

Claimed by Trevor Craport

This page covers one of the two types of basic circuits covered in this course, Parallel Circuits.

The Main Idea

Parallel circuits are a type of circuit that are composed of multiple paths that the current can pass through. Each path is independent of one another and if one path were to go out, the others would still have current passing through them. There are five basic rules/characteristics for parallel circuits. These rules include: the current has two or more separate paths to travel through, the voltage is the same across every path in a parallel circuit, the sum of current through each path is equal to the total current that comes into and out of the circuit as a whole, total resistance is determined by the equation 1/Req = 1/R1 + 1/R2 + 1/R3 +1/Rn, and each path is independent of one another in that if one path were to go out, the values of current through each path would change, but would not go out like it would in series.

A Mathematical Model

For parallel circuits, there are a few equations that are necessary to know and understand so that you are able to solve for any missing part of a circuit problem.

Total resistance RT for resistors in parallel: 1/RT = 1/R1 + 1/R2 + 1/R3 + ...

Voltage is always the same across branches: VT = V1 = V2 = V3 = ...

Total current (Node rule) IT = I1 + I2 + I3 + ...

Ohm's Law: V = IR

Each of these equations are useful in deterring select aspects of parallel circuits that may be missing in problems related to this topic. Each problem starts with the loop rule, node rule, and Ohm's law to define any variable given so that additional variables and components of the circuit can be identified and calculated.

Examples

Below are three levels of examples. While all contain only Resistors and one battery, it is important to understand that capacitors, multiple batteries, and potentially inductors that effect current flow and charge through the entire circuit.

Simple

This example is a basic problem of calculating total resistance looking at three resistors in parallel. Using the resistance formula from above, we know that 1/Req = 1/R1 + 1/R2 + 1/R3. From there, we plug in the known values of the three resistors and solve for Req. This value comes to 2 ohms. To further expand on this calculation, having these three 6 ohm restores in parallel is equivalent to having one 2 ohm resistor in series alone.

Middling

Difficult

Connectedness

How is this topic connected to something that you are interested in?
How is it connected to your major?
Is there an interesting industrial application?

History

Put this idea in historical context. Give the reader the Who, What, When, Where, and Why.

References

https://www.swtc.edu/Ag_Power/electrical/lecture/parallel_circuits.htm

http://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/circuits/Lesson-4/Parallel-Circuits

Professor Kim's lecture on Loop rule of parallel circuits