All Textbook Topics - Electricity - Current in series and parallel circuits

Current in series and parallel circuits

Did you know that current is the same everywhere in a series circuit, but splits in parallel circuits? Current is one of the key properties of how Electricity works in a circuit and a solid understanding of it will help you on your path to mastering Electricity.

Textbook Learning Objectives
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1The current coming out of the battery/cell/power supply is equal to the current going back into the battery
2Current is the same everywhere in a series circuit
3In a series circuit with only bulbs connected, when you double the number of bulbs in the circuit but keep the number of cells the same, the current will halve
4In a series circuit with only bulbs connected, when you halve the number of bulbs in the circuit but keep the number of cells the same, the current will double
5Current splits in parallel circuits, the current will split down each branch
6When you double the number of cells in a battery but keep the rest of the circuit the same, the current going in and out of the battery will double
7When you halve the number of cells in a battery but keep the rest of the circuit the same, the current going in and out of the battery will halve
8In a parallel circuit, the current going out and into the battery is equal to the sum of the current in each of the branches
9When you change the resistance (number of bulbs) in a parallel branch, you change the current in that branch and the total current going in and out of the battery only. The current in the other branches is not affected.