Parallel Circuits

Look at the circuit on the right

The bulbs are initially of normal brightness.  Work out what happens to the  OTHER bulbs when:

1.  One lamp is unscrewed

2.  Another cell is added
3.  The cells are arranged in parallel
4.  Another bulb is added in parallel with the first one

 

Match up the correct statements about parallel circuits:

a The voltage is the same ... across each branch in parallel
b The total current flowing is ... less than the smallest resistance of any branch
c The current flowing through each component ... depends on its resistance
d The total resistance is ... the bigger the current.
e The lower the resistance ... equal to the sum of currents in separate branches.

Look again at the top circuit.  Complete the following:

If lamps are connected in , the current in the main part of the circuit splits up and goes through each .  The brightness of the lamps stays the same the lamps you add in .

Press the button to check your answers:

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