Calculating Resistance

Resistance is futile! :-)

By Maria Woodbury

Add all the resistance components
Then apply Ohm's Law
V= I x R

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​SERIES CIRCUITS

​Parallel Circuits

Match

Match the following

parallel circuit

series circuit

combined circuit

• parallel circuit

• series circuit

• combined circuit

Reorder

Reorder the TOTAL resistance in increasing order

• $$2\Omega\ and\ 7\Omega$$ in parallel

• $$3\Omega\ and\ 4\Omega\$$ in parallel

• Two $$\ 1\Omega$$ resistors in series

• $$3\Omega\ and\ 4\Omega$$ in series

• 3 $$2\Omega\ and\ 7\Omega$$ in series

1

2

3

4

5

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

Multiple Choice

The total resistance in this circuit is

• 40 Ohms

• 100 Ohms

• 1500 Ohms

• 3.15 Ohms

In a series circuit-
the current does not change throughout the circuit. The voltage changes across the components.
a) First find the total resistance
b) then find the total current
c) then find the individual voltages

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Let's try again!

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The parallel circuit is much more complicated
If you're interested
I can show you another time-
In a parallel circuit, the voltages across the components doesn't change, it's the current that does.

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​Summary

In a series circuit
-we need to add up the resistance of all the components and then apply Ohm's Law
-we know that the current DOES NOT split in a series circuit
-once the path is broken, the circuit doesn't work

Summary

In a parallel circuit we've learned that
-total resistance needs a formula and some flipping!
-voltage does not split, it is current that splits
-when one of the circuit paths is broken, the flow of electrons can use another pathway.

Categorize

Options (16)

current does not split

only one path for current

total resistance is the sum of individual resistances

if one component fails, the circuit is broken

voltage is shared among components

current is the same through all components

used in simple electrical devices

easier to design than parallel circuits

current can split into multiple paths

voltage is the same across all components

if one component fails, the circuit remains functional

total resistance is less than the smallest individual resistance

used in complex electrical systems

allows for independent operation of components

easier to troubleshoot than series circuits

more efficient for high-power applications

Which feature belongs where?

Series Circuit

Parallel Circuit

Poll

Choose all those that apply

• I can use Ohm's Law with some success

• I can describe how parallel and series circuits are different

• I can explain why parallel circuits can keep working even if one of the components doesn't

• I can calculate the total resistance of a series circuit

Poll

I found the topic

• interesting

• difficult

• challenging

• boring

Word Cloud

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