1	Chapter 6 Parallel Circuits
2	Parallel Circuits House circuits contain parallel circuits The parallel circuit will continue to operate even though one component may be open Only the open or defective component will no longer continue to operate
3	Parallel Circuits
4	Parallel Circuits Elements in parallel When they have exactly two nodes in common Elements between nodes Any device like resistors, light bulbs, etc. Elements connected in parallel Same voltage across them
5	Parallel Circuits
6	Series - Parallel Circuits Circuits may contain a combination of series and parallel components Being able to recognize the various connections in a network is an important step in analyzing these circuits
7	Series - Parallel Circuits
8	Parallel Circuits To analyze a particular circuit First identify the node Next, label the nodes with a letter or number Then, identify types of connections
9	Parallel Circuits
10	Kirchhoff’s Current Law (KCL) The algebraic sum of the currents entering and leaving a node is equal to zero
11	Kirchhoff’s Current Law (KCL) Currents entering the node are taken to be positive, leaving are taken to be negative Sum of currents entering a node is equal to the sum of currents leaving the node
12	Kirchhoff’s Current Law (KCL) An analogy: When water flows in a pipe, the amount of water entering a point is the amount leaving that point
13	Direction of Current If unsure of the direction of current through an element, assume a direction Base further calculations on this assumption
14	Direction of Current If this assumption is incorrect, calculations will show that the current has a negative sign Negative sign simply indicates that the current flows in the opposite direction
15	Resistors in Parallel Voltage across all parallel elements in a circuit will be the same
16	Resistors in Parallel For a circuit with 3 resistors: I_T = I₁ + I₂ + I₃
17	Resistors in Parallel Total resistance of resistors in parallel will always be less than resistance of smallest resistor
18	Equal Resistors in Parallel For n equal resistors in parallel, each resistor has the same conductance G G_T = nG R_T = 1/G_T = 1/nG = R/n
19	Equal Resistors in Parallel Total resistance of equal resistors in parallel is equal to the resistor value divided by the number of resistors
20	Two Resistors in Parallel For only two resistors connected in parallel, the equivalent resistance may be found by the product of the two values divided by the sum Often referred to as “product over the sum” formula
21	Three Resistors in Parallel For three resistors in parallel: Rather than memorize this long expression Use basic equation for resistors in parallel
22	Voltage Sources in Parallel Voltage sources with different potentials should never be connected in parallel When two equal sources are connected in parallel Each source supplies half the required current
23	Voltage Sources in Parallel Jump starting automobiles If two unequal sources are connected Large currents can occur and cause damage
24	Current Divider Rule Allows us to determine how the current flowing into a node is split between the various parallel resistors
25	Current Divider Rule
26	Current Divider Rule For only two resistors in parallel:
27	Current Divider Rule If current enters a parallel network with a number of equal resistors, current will split equally between resistors In a parallel network, the smallest value resistor will have the largest current Largest resistor will have the least current
28	Current Divider Rule Most of the current will follow the path of least resistance
29	Analysis of Parallel Circuits Voltage across all branches is the same as the source voltage Determine current through each branch using Ohm’s Law Find the total current using Kirchhoff’s Current Law
30	Analysis of Parallel Circuits To calculate the power dissipated by each resistor, use either VI, I²R, or V²/R Total power consumed is the sum of the individual powers Compare with I_T²R_T
31	Ammeter Design Coil of the meter can only handle a small amount of current A shunt resistor in parallel allows most of current to bypass the coil
32	Ammeter Design
33	Voltmeter Loading Effects A voltmeter Meter movement in series with a current-limiting resistance If resistance is large compared with the resistance across which the voltage is to be measured, the voltmeter will have a very small loading effect
34	Voltmeter Loading Effects If this resistance is more than 10 times the resistance across which the voltage is being measured, the loading effect can generally be ignored. However, it is usually much higher.