In a type of electric circuit called a series circuit, all of the current

flows through each part of the circuit. In a parallel circuit the

current is divided into separate paths. In the illustration, the two
upright lines in each circuit represent a power source, such as a
battery. Each wavy line represents a device, such as a lightbulb,
that uses electric current.

What is a Series Circuit?

A circuit is said to be connected in series when the same current flows
through all the components in the circuit. In such circuits, the current has
only one path. Let us consider the household decorative string lights as an
example of a series circuit. This is nothing but a series of multiple tiny
bulbs connected in series. If one bulb fuses, all the bulbs in the series do
not light up.

What is a Parallel Circuit?

A circuit is said to be parallel when the electric current has multiple paths
to flow through. The components that are a part of the parallel circuits will
have a constant voltage across all ends.

Difference Between Series and Parallel

Circuits
The major difference between series and the parallel circuit is the amount
of current that flows through each of the components in the circuit. In a
series circuit, the same amount of current flows through all the
components placed in it. On the other hand, in parallel circuits, the
components are placed in parallel with each other due to which the circuit
splits the current flow. The current flowing from the source will be divided
into the current flowing through each of these components.

Difference Between Series and Parallel

Circuits

Series Parallel

The same amount of The current flowing

current flows through through each
all the components component combines
to form the current
flow through the
source.
 In an electrical circuit, In an electrical circuit,
components are components are
arranged in a line arranged parallel to
each other

When resistors are put When resistors are put

in a series circuit, the in a parallel circuit,
voltage across each the voltage across
resistor is different even each of the resistors is
though the current flow the same. Even the
is the same through all polarities are the
of them. same

If one component Other components will

breaks down, the whole function even if one
circuit will burn out. component breaks
down, each has its
own independent
circuit

If Vt is the total voltage If Vt is the total

then it is equal to V1 + voltage then it is
V2 +V3 equal to V1=V2=V3

Electrical appliances in a house are connected in parallel.

On connecting the electrical appliances in parallel, each appliance works
independently without being affected whether the other appliance is
switched on or off.

A simple loop with all loads connected in line (in series) is called a Series
Circuit.
· Two loops, both connected to the battery, each with it’s own loads is called
a Parallel Circuit.
· A series circuit is a Voltage Divider. Two light bulbs on the same series circuit
share the voltage of the battery: if the battery is 9V, then each bulb gets 4.5
volts.
· A parallel circuit avoids this problem. Two bulbs in a simple parallel circuit
each enjoy the full voltage of the battery. This is why the bulbs in the parallel
circuit will be brighter than those in the series circuit.
· Another advantage to the parallel circuit is that if one loop is disconnected, then
the other remains powered. Example: good holiday lights can have a bulb
removed and the rest of the lights on the string will remain on.

Insulators and Conductors

· Materials through which electrons can easily flow are
called conductors because they conduct electricity well
· Materials which retard the flow of electrons are called insulators because they
keep electricity from moving
· Most metals are good conductors ex: copper, gold, silver
· Insulators are very common: most plastics, wood, glass, leather, etc.

What is a complete circuit or a closed circuit?

An uninterrupted path that allows electric current to move from a power
source through a device and back to the source is known as a complete
circuit or a closed circuit.
What is an incomplete circuit or an open circuit?
An open circuit is one in which the path is incomplete or broken, allowing
no current to flow through. It is also known as an incomplete circuit.
How electric circuits work

An electrical circuit is composed of a source of energy (a battery/cell), two

wires (an unbroken loop) that can carry electric current, and a light bulb.

Electric charges come out of the source of energy (a battery/cell), travel

along conductors, go through a load to perform work, and are finally
returned to the source. It is called a circuit because of the circular path that
the electric charge flows through.
What is a series circuit parallel circuit?
What is a series circuit?
A series circuit is an electric circuit in which components (components refer
to the several objects that make up a circuit.) are connected together in a
single loop, one after the other, making a way for electricity to flow.

There are some distinguishing factors of a series circuit. For instance, the
current remains constant throughout the circuit. The flow of current is
restricted to one direction only, and it encounters consistent resistance
along its path.

Furthermore, in a series circuit, the energy is distributed among

components. The voltage across each component is directly related to its
resistance. In a series circuit, the total resistance is equal to the combined
sum of each component’s resistance.

Advantages and disadvantages of series

circuits
Advantages:
1. Series circuits are relatively easy to construct since we only need to
connect the components in a single line.
2. In a series circuit, the current flowing through each component is the
same.
3. Fewer components are required to construct series circuits, which makes
them very cost-effective for simple applications.
Disadvantages:
1. Voltage division: In a series circuit, the total voltage is divided among the
components, which means each component receives a fraction of the total
voltage, which may not be desirable in certain situations.
2. Component failure: If one component fails in a series circuit, the entire
circuit will be interrupted, and no current will flow. This can be a
disadvantage in critical applications where downtime is not acceptable.
What is a parallel circuit?
A parallel circuit has different pathways. When many components are
connected side by side, it creates various channels for the current to travel,
which is known as a parallel circuit design.

The electric current divides, and only a portion of it passes through any
path. Each pathway can be turned on and off separately from the others. In
a parallel circuit of lights, for example, part or all of the lights may be used.

The basic components of a parallel circuit

The basic components of a parallel circuit are:

 A power supply, such as a cell or battery,

 Connecting wires: Work as a conductor to flow electricity.
 Switch: to control the circuit.
 Bulb or electric device: act as a load to the circuit.
Advantages and disadvantages of parallel
circuits
Advantages:
In a parallel circuit, the failure of one component doesn’t impact the other
components’ ability to function.
Parallel circuits are appropriate for complex applications because they
provide greater flexibility for growth and customization.

Disadvantages:
More wires and connections are required for parallel circuits than for series
circuits, which makes their design and implementation a little more difficult.
The independent current that each branch of a parallel circuit draws may
lead to an increase in power consumption.

If defective parts in a parallel circuit are not adequately found and fixed,
they may pose a risk to public safety.
What is a series-parallel circuit?
This circuit includes a combination of both series and parallel connections.
Some components are linked in series, while others are connected in
parallel. To analyze the behavior of the circuit effectively, we need to
examine each branch of the circuit.