Summary GCE GCSE IGCSE Secondary School High School Physics - Electric Circuits

IGCSE Physics\Electric Circuits\Important Concepts


IGCSE PHYSICS
ELECTRIC CIRCUITS: IMPORTANT CONCEPTS



SERIES AND PARALLEL D.C. CIRCUITS

A direct current (d.c.) circuit is a circuit in which current flows in a fixed direction,
i.e. from the positive terminal to the negative terminal of the battery.

A series circuit is a circuit which
consists of only one path through
which current can flow. I



Characteristics of a series circuit: I1 I2
(a) Current through every component
R1 R2 R3
in the circuit is the same:

V1 V2 V3




(b) Total potential difference of all components is equal to the e.m.f. of the cell/
battery (assuming zero internal resistance of cell):



(c) Total resistance is the sum of the resistance of each component:




A parallel circuit is a circuit which
consists of more than one path
through which current can flow. I



Characteristics of a parallel circuit: R1
(a) Current from the source is equal I3
to the sum of the current across I1 I2

each component: V1

R2
I4




(b) Potential difference across each V2

component is equal to e.m.f. of R3
cell/ battery (assuming zero I5

internal resistance of cell):
V3




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