Topic study hub
Series and parallel circuits
Understand that the electric current is uniform at all points within a series circuit.
10
Objectives
100
Flashcards
70
Questions
90 min
Study time
CambridgeIGCSEPhysicsElectricity and magnetism
Choose a revision tool
Start revising Series and parallel circuits
Syllabus checklist
What you need to know
10 objective pages available
Series and parallel circuits outcomes10 objectives
- Understand that the electric current is uniform at all points within a series circuit.
- Learn how to build and utilize both series and parallel circuits.
- Determine the total electromotive force (e.m.f.) when multiple sources are connected in series.
- Calculate the total resistance when two or more resistors are connected in series.
- Recognize that in a parallel circuit, the total current from the source exceeds the current flowing through each individual branch.
- Acknowledge that the total resistance of two resistors in parallel is lower than that of either resistor alone.
- Identify the benefits of connecting lamps in parallel within a lighting circuit.
- Recall and apply in calculations the principles that: (a) the total current entering a junction in a parallel circuit equals the total current leaving it, (b) the total potential difference (p.d.) across components in a series circuit equals the sum of the individual p.d.s, and (c) the p.d. across parallel resistances is the same as the p.d. across any single branch.
- Clarify that the total current entering a junction is equal to the total current exiting the junction.
- Calculate the total resistance when two resistors are connected in parallel.
Key terms
KnowStateUseCalculateDetermineIdentifyRecallExplainUnderstand
Exam tips
No exam tips are published for this topic yet.
Common mistakes
No common mistakes are published for this topic yet.
Practice preview
Continue by objective
Objectives are grouped by subtopic so students can jump straight to the exact skill they want to revise.
Related topics