AKS 10B - Series vs. Parallel

Two types of Circuits

• ​There are two types of circuits:

• ​parallel: there are multiple pathways for electricity to travel

• ​series: there is only one pathway for electricity to travel

​Series Circuits

• ​In a series circuit, there is only one path for electricity to travel.

• ​If one part of the circuit stops working (the load, the wires, or the power source) the entire circuit stops working.

​Parallel Circuit

• ​In a parallel circuit, there is more than one pathway for electricity to flow.

• ​If one part of the parallel circuit stops working, the electricity will still flow.

Multiple Choice

What kind of circuit is this?

• series
• parallel

Multiple Choice

What kind of circuit is this?

• Series
• Consecutive
• Parallel
• Training

Multiple Choice

Does this diagram represent a series or parallel circuit?

• series circuit
• parallel circuit

Multiple Choice

When you remove a bulb from a three bulb circuit, and the other two bulbs go off, then the bulbs must have been connected in __________.

• parallel
• series
• open
• closed

Multiple Choice

The current has only has one loop to flow through in this circuit. 

• Series Circuit 
• Parallel Circuit 

Multiple Choice

What will happen if one light bulb is removed from this circuit?

• The other bulbs will go out.
• The other bulbs will stay on
• The other bulbs will get dimmer.
• The battery will become stronger.

Multiple Choice

The picture shows an electrical circuit. This circuit is a series circuit because: 

• It has 3 light bulbs.
• The same current flows through all three light bulbs.
• It uses a single battery.
• The electrical current is divided between the three light bulbs.

Multiple Choice

Pick the correct sentence.

• This circuit will work because it is a closed circuit.
• Energy will freely flow in this circuit.
• This circuit will not work because there is no energy source.
• This circuit will not work because there is no switch.

Multiple Choice

The picture shows an electrical circuit. This circuit is a series circuit because: 

• It has 3 light bulbs.
• The same current flows through all three light bulbs.
• It uses a single battery.
• The electrical current is divided between the three light bulbs.

Multiple Choice

A circuit may be described as series or parallel.

• TRUE

• FALSE

Multiple Choice

The number of path in which electricity flows in a series circuit is always one.

• TRUE

• FALSE

Multiple Choice

What is a Series Circuit?

• A circuit with more than one path way for current to flow

• A circuit with one path way with one switch.

• An electric circuit with a single path for current to flow.

• Two circuits with one path way for current to flow

Multiple Choice

What is a closed circuit?

• A pathway that allows one circuit to flow

• A pathway that does not allow an electric current to flow.

• A Parallel circuit.

• A pathway that allows an electric current to flow freely - light is on!

Multiple Choice

What is an open circuit?

• A parallel circuit

• A pathway that prevents electric current from flowing freely or stops the flow - light is off!

• A series circuit

• A pathway that allows electric current from flowing freely or stops the flow - light is off!

Multiple Choice

Metals such as copper and aluminum are good ______________. 

• insulators
• conductors
• circuits
• charges

Multiple Choice

Good conductors are _______ resistors

• bad
• good

Multiple Choice

Good insulators are _______ resistors

• good
• bad

Multiple Choice

Current that does NOT reverse direction is called ____. 

• magnetic current
• direct current
• circuit current
• alternating current

What is Direct Current?

• Direct current (DC) is an electric current that is uni-directional, so the flow of charge is always in the same direction. 

• As opposed to alternating current, the direction and amperage of direct currents do not change. It is used in many household electronics and in all devices that use batteries

Direct Current and Alternating Current

• Direct Current (dc): electrons flow only in one direction, from negative terminal to positive terminal

  • Speed is slow because electrons are constantly bumping each other

• Alternating Current (ac): electrons flow in one direction, and then in the opposite direction​

  • Better for high powered devices

  • Most ac circuits involve currents that alternate back and forth at a rate of 60 cycles per second

What are the uses of direct current?

• It is also used to:

• charge batteries, like laptops and cell phones

• They come with an AC adapter that converts alternating current to direct current

Multiple Choice

Electric current comes from the movement or flow of _____ charged electrons around an electric circuit.

• Proton

• Neutral

• Negatively

• Positively

Multiple Choice

Current that reverses direction in a regular pattern is called ____. 

• direct current 
• circuit current
• magnetic current
• alternating current 

Multiple Choice

What is an electric circuit?

• The path which the electric current takes.

• Movement or flow of negatively charged electrons

• A device to control the flow of electricity

• The current flow of electricity that always goes in one direction