SERIES, PARALLEL AND

SERIES-PARALLEL
CIRCUITS
EE104 – BASIC ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
RESISTORS IN SERIES
▪Two or more elements are in series if they
exclusively share a single node and
consequently carry the same current.
▪For resistors in series, the total voltage across
the series combination, is equal to the sum of
the voltage (drops) across them.
v = vab = v1 + v2
▪For resistors in series, the current through the i1 i2

each resistors are the same and is the same

current through the series combination.
i = i1 = i2
EE104 – BASIC ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
RESISTORS IN SERIES
Equivalent Resistance
▪Resistors in series behave as a single
resistor whose resistance is equal to
the sum of the resistances of the
individual resistors.
𝑁

𝑅𝑒𝑞 = 𝑅1 + 𝑅2 + … + 𝑅𝑁 = ෍ 𝑅𝑁
𝑛=1

EE104 – BASIC ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

RESISTORS IN PARALLEL
▪Two or more elements are in parallel if they
are connected to the same two nodes and
consequently have the same voltage across
them.
▪For resistors in parallel, the total current
through the combination is the sum of the
currents through each resistors.
i = i1 + i2
▪For resistors in parallel, the voltage across
each resistor is the same and equal to the
voltage across the parallel combination.
v = v1 = v2

EE104 – BASIC ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

RESISTORS IN PARALLEL
Equivalent Resistance
▪The equivalent resistance of a circuit
with N resistors in parallel is:
1 1 1 1
= + + …+
𝑅𝑒𝑞 𝑅1 𝑅2 𝑅𝑁
▪For 2 resistors in parallel:
𝑅1 𝑅2
𝑅𝑒𝑞 =
𝑅1 + 𝑅2

EE104 – BASIC ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

OPEN AND SHORT CIRCUITS
▪An “open” in any part of a circuit is an extremely high resistance
that results in no current flow in the circuit

EE104 – BASIC ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

OPEN AND SHORT CIRCUITS
▪A “short” in any part of a circuit is an extremely low resistance.
The result is that very high current will flow to the circuit

EE104 – BASIC ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

KIRCHOFF’S CURRENT LAW
▪Kirchhoff’s current law (KCL) states that the algebraic sum of
currents entering a node (or a closed boundary) is zero.

Mathematically, i
n =1
n =0
EE104 – BASIC ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
SAMPLE PROBLEM 1
▪Determine the current I for the circuit shown in the figure below.

𝑆𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛:
N

i
n =1
n =0

𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 + (−𝑖𝑒𝑥𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 ) = 0

2𝐴 − 3𝐴 + [− 𝐼 + 4𝐴 ] = 0

𝐼 = −4𝐴 + 2𝐴 − 3𝐴 = −5𝐴

Answer: 𝑰 = −𝟓 𝑨
SAMPLE PROBLEM 2
▪Find the current in each parallel branch for both conditions.

𝑆𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛:

𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 + (−𝑖𝑒𝑥𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 ) = 0

2𝐴 − 3𝐴 + [− 𝐼 + 4𝐴 ] = 0

𝐼 = −4𝐴 + 2𝐴 − 3𝐴 = −5𝐴
SAMPLE PROBLEM 2
▪Find the current in each parallel branch for both conditions.
𝑆𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛:
10 𝑉 10 𝑉
𝑎) 𝐼1 = = 0.5 𝐴; 𝐼2 = = 0.5 𝐴
20 Ω 20 Ω

10 𝑉
𝑏) 𝐼1 = = 0.5 𝐴;
20 Ω

𝐼2 = 0 𝐴 (𝑑𝑢𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑜𝑝𝑒𝑛 𝑐𝑖𝑟𝑐𝑢𝑖𝑡, 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑏𝑒 𝑛𝑜 𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑤𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ 𝑅2)

Answer: 𝒂) 𝑰𝟏 = 𝑰𝟐 = 𝟎. 𝟓 𝑨; 𝒃) 𝑰𝟏 = 𝟎. 𝟓 𝑨, 𝑰𝟐 = 𝟎
KIRCHOFF’S VOLTAGE LAW
▪Kirchhoff’s voltage law (KVL) states that the algebraic sum of all
voltages around a closed path (or loop) is zero.
▪It is based on the principle of conservation of energy.
▪The sum of voltage drops is equal to the sum of voltage rises.

EE104 – BASIC ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

KIRCHOFF’S VOLTAGE LAW
▪Applying the KVL equation for the circuit of the figure below.

EE104 – BASIC ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

KIRCHOFF’S VOLTAGE LAW

Voltage sources in
series:

(a)Original circuit
(b)Equivalent circuit

EE104 – BASIC ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

SERIES RESISTORS AND VOLTAGE DIVISION
▪Recall: Two or more elements are in
series if they exclusively share a single
node and consequently carry the same
current.
▪Resistors in series behave as a single
resistor whose resistance is equal to the
sum of the resistances of the individual
resistors.
R eq = R1 + R 2 + … + R n
SERIES RESISTORS AND VOLTAGE DIVISION
▪Voltage Division

R1
V1 = V
R1 + R 2

R2
V2 = V
R1 + R 2
SAMPLE PROBLEM 3
▪For the circuit below, find voltage v1 and v2.
SAMPLE PROBLEM 3
▪For the circuit below, find voltage v1 and v2.
𝑆𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛:
From Ohm’s law, v = iR
𝑣1 = 2𝑖, 𝑣2 = 3𝑖
The connection of the resistor is in series,
𝑅𝑇 = 2 Ω + 3 Ω = 5 Ω
𝑉 20 𝑉
𝑖= = =4𝐴
𝑅𝑇 5Ω
𝑖 =4𝐴

𝑣1 = 2𝑖 = 2 4 = 𝟖 𝑽; 𝑣2 = 3𝑖 = 3 4 = 𝟏𝟐 𝑽

Answer: 𝒗𝟏 = 𝟖 𝑽; 𝒗𝟐 = 𝟏𝟐 𝑽
PARALLEL RESISTORS AND CURRENT DIVISION
▪Recall: Two or more elements are in parallel if
they are connected to the same two nodes and
consequently have the same voltage across them.
▪The equivalent resistance of two parallel
resistors is equal to the product of their
resistances divided by their sum.
R1 R 2
R eq =
R1 + R 2
▪For N resistors in parallel:
1 1 1 1
= + + …+
R eq R1 R 2 RN
PARALLEL RESISTORS AND CURRENT DIVISION
▪Current Division

R2
I1 = I
R1 + R 2

R1
I2 = I
R1 + R 2
SAMPLE PROBLEM 4
▪Find Rab for the circuit.
SAMPLE PROBLEM 4
▪Find Rab for the circuit.

𝑆𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛:

Answer: 𝑹𝒂𝒃 = 𝟏𝟏 Ω
SAMPLE PROBLEM 5
▪Find the branch circuit currents I1 , I2 and the total current for the circuit shown.
SAMPLE PROBLEM 5
▪Find the branch circuit currents I1 and I2 for the circuit shown.
𝑆𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛:

Using KCL,
𝐼𝑇 + − 𝐼1 + 𝐼2 = 0
𝐼𝑇 = 𝐼1 + 𝐼2 ;
20 𝑉 20 𝑉
𝐼1 = = 𝟐 𝑨; 𝐼2 = =𝟒𝑨
10 Ω 5Ω

𝐼𝑇 = 𝟔 𝑨

Answer: 𝑰𝟏 = 𝟐 𝑨; 𝑰𝟐 = 𝟒 𝑨; 𝑰𝑻 = 𝟔 𝑨
SAMPLE PROBLEM 6
▪Find i, i2 and the value of R.
SAMPLE PROBLEM 6
▪Find i and i2.
𝑆𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛:

Parallel connected 24 Ω & 48 Ω, then series connected with 16 Ω.

𝑅 = 24−1 + 48−1 −1 + 16 = 𝟑𝟐 Ω

𝑇𝑜 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑢𝑡𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑜𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑔𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑛 𝑐𝑖𝑟𝑐𝑢𝑖𝑡,

Resistance R is parallel with 32 Ω, and the combination is in series with 8 Ω resistor.
Therefore, 𝑅𝑇 = 32−1 + 32−1 −1 + 8 = 𝟐𝟒Ω

To compute the total current on the given circuit,

𝑉 24 𝑉
𝐼𝑇 = = =𝟏𝑨
𝑅𝑇 24Ω
SAMPLE PROBLEM 6
▪Find i and i2.
𝐼𝑇
𝑆𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛:

Now, we can solve for current i by using current division:

32 Ω 32 Ω
𝒊= 𝐼 = 1 𝐴 = 𝟎. 𝟓 𝑨
32 Ω + 𝑅 𝑇 32 Ω + 32 Ω

Now, we can solve for current 𝑖2 by using current division:

48 Ω 48 Ω 𝟏
𝒊𝟐 = 𝑖= 0.5 𝐴 = 𝑨
48 Ω + 24Ω 48 Ω + 24 Ω 𝟑

𝟏
Answer: 𝒊𝟐 = 𝟑 𝑨; 𝒊 = 𝟎. 𝟓 𝑨; 𝑹 = 𝟑𝟐 Ω
PRACTICE PROBLEM 1
In the circuit, find v, i, and the power absorbed by the 4-ohm resistor.

Answer: 𝒊 = 𝟏 𝑨; 𝒗 = 𝟏𝟎 𝑽; 𝑷 = 𝟒 𝑾
PRACTICE PROBLEM 2
Find the equivalent resistance.

Answer: 𝑹𝑻 = 𝟒 𝒌Ω
PRACTICE PROBLEM 3
Find v1, v2, and v3 in the circuit.

Answer: 𝒗𝟏 = 𝟐𝟖 𝑽; 𝒗𝟐 = 𝒗𝟑 = 𝟏𝟐 𝑽
PRACTICE PROBLEM 4
Calculate the equivalent resistance Rab in the circuit.

Answer: 𝑹𝒂𝒃 = 𝟏𝟏. 𝟐 Ω

PRACTICE PROBLEM 5
Branch circuits in a house wiring system are parallel circuits. Find (a)
the total current from the main line, (b) the voltage across each
appliance, and (c) the total resistance of the circuit.

Answer:
𝑰𝑻 = 𝟐𝟔. 𝟐 𝑨;
𝑽 = 𝟏𝟏𝟎 𝑽;
𝑹𝑻 = 𝟒. 𝟏𝟗𝟖 Ω