Electromagnetism

Lecture 6
Lecturer: Tristan O’Hanlon
Room: 303-618
t.ohanlon@auckland.ac.nz
After this lecture you should be able to:
• Understand the difference between series and parallel circuits.
• Calculate the total resistance and current in series and parallel
circuits.
Electric power

+ -
Electric power
= = =

Power dissipated
as light, heat

+ -
Cost of electricity
• Electricity (unfortunately) costs money
• Energy: Power multiplied by time ( = × )
• Electricity used is sold in units of kilowatt-hours (Physicists would
prefer units of Watt-seconds = Joules.)
• Example, in AKL electricity costs about 23 cents per kilowatt-hour.
• Cost of using a 1 kW heater for one hour is 23 cents

Cost = Power (in kW) x time (in hours) x unit price in c/kWh
Example 30
What is the monthly cost of a refrigerator whose average power is
200 W if the price of electricity is 23 cents / kWh?

cents
Cost = Power in kW × time in hours × unit price(in )
kWh
Cost = 0.2 kW × 30(days) ∗ 24(hours) × 23 cents/kWh

= 3300 = 33
Example 31
How much money do you spend toasting a single slice of bread if the
power of the toaster is 1200 W and it takes 2 minutes to toast a
slice? Assume that the price of electricity is 23 cents/kWh

cents
Cost = Power in kW × time in hours × unit price(in )
kWh
2
Cost = 1.2 kW × (hours) × 23 cents/kWh
60
= 0.92 cents
Electric circuit

Closed circuit, flow Open circuit, no flow

break

+ - + -
Electric Circuits
• Electrical components connected
by a conductor - must for a loop for
current to flow.
• We use a set of conventional
symbols for drawing circuit
diagrams.
• Electron flow can be controlled by
connecting different components
(resistors, transistors, diodes, …) in
different ways
• Allows for performing complex
operations
Series and parallel circuits
Series circuit: all components connected along a single path
Parallel circuit: components form branches, each of which is a separate path
for electrons

Series circuit
Parallel circuit

+ - + -
Series circuits
1) Current passing each element must be the same (only one path)
2) This current is resisted by the first resistance, and the second resistance, and
the third resistance,…
• Total resistance = + + +…
3) Voltage between points A and B is V
4) Current flowing in the circuit
A C B
= =
+

Ohm’s law applies separately to each

device

+ -
Series circuits
5) Voltage between A and C is

=
A C B

6) Voltage between B and C is

=

7) + =

8) Break anywhere in the circuit + -

ceases current flow
Series circuit

Series circuit

+ -
+ -
Example 32
(a) = + = 10 Ω + 50 Ω = 60 Ω
(b) = = = 0.0833
For the circuit below, calculate the
(c) = = 0.0833 × 10 Ω = 0.833 V
(a) total resistance; (d) = = 0.0833 × 50 Ω = 4.167 V
(b) total current; (e,f) = = = 0.0833
(c) voltage across the 10 Ohm resistor;
(d) voltage across the 50 Ohm
resistance;
(e) current across the 10 Ohm resistor;
(f) current across the 50 Ohm resistor
Example 33
• Assume having three identical incandescent bulbs with a resistance of 5 Ω
connected in series to a 10 V voltage source. (a) What is the current flowing
through the middle bulb? (b) Will the three bulbs glow dimmer or brighter
than if only one would be connected?

(a) = + + = 3 × 5 Ω = 15 Ω
10
→ = = = 0.67 A
15 Ω

(b) Brighter! = = . The smaller

the total resistance the larger the power.
Example 34
What happens if one of the lights connected in series burns out?

Circuit is open and nothing burns

anymore.
Example 34a
• Three identical lightbulbs, each with a resistance of 5 Ohms, are
connected in series with a 10 V voltage source. What happens if a
loop of wire is added in parallel with one of the bulbs?
Parallel circuits
1) Both devices connected to the same two points (A and B).
Voltage is therefore the same across each device
2) The current divides among the parallel branches. Ohm’s law
applies separately to both branch.
= =

3) Total current in the circuit is the sum

of currents in distinct branches A B
= +

4) Total resistance
1 + 1 1
= = = + + -
Parallel circuits
1 1 1
= +

Parallel circuit

+ -
+ -
 1 1 1 1 1 1
= + = + = 0.12
Example 35 1
10 Ω 50 Ω Ω

For the circuit below, → = Ω = 8.33 Ω

0.12
calculate the
5
(a) total resistance; = = = 0.6
8.33 Ω
(b) total current;
(c) voltage across the 10 , Resistances in parallel; voltage across each
Ohm resistor; resistance is the same 5 V as the source.
(d) voltage across the 50
Ohm resistance; 5
= = = 0.5
(e) current across the 10 10 Ω
Ohm resistor;
5
(f) current across the 50 = = = 0.1
50 Ω
Ohm resistor

note that = +
Example 36
Assume having three incandescent bulbs with a resistances of 5, 6 and 8 Ohms
connected in parallel to a 10 V voltage source. (a) What is the current flowing
through the middle bulb? (b) Will the three bulbs glow dimmer or brighter
than if only one would be connected?

(a) The bulbs are connected in parallel, thus the

Voltage across each bulb is the same as the supply voltage V
The current flowing through follows from Ohm’s:
10
= = = 1.667
6Ω
(b) The bulbs will grow equally bright: the same current
would flow through each bulb even if it alone was
connected, meaning that also the dissipated power is the
same.
Example 37
What happens to the other two bulbs if you cut the wire going to one of the
branches at point A? What if you cut point B?

(a) The other two don’t care. There is still a complete circuit
Through the other two bulbs meaning that current can flow

(b) Cutting the wire at point B results in the whole circuit

Becoming open. No current can flow through anything and
all bulbs are shut.
A
B
Example 38
Why would you rather have Christmas lights connected in
parallel than in series?
If the lights are connected in series and one of them burns, the circuit becomes
open and none of the lights shine. It is then fun and games to find the broken
one.

In contrast, if the lights are connected in parallel and one of the lights burn, this
does not affect the other ones. It is easy to identify the broken one (that being
the only one not lit)
Series – Parallel summary
Series
• Current flowing through each component is the same
• Voltage drops across each component
• Sum of voltages across each component equals the supply voltage
• = + + +…

Parallel
• Voltage across each component is the same
• Current through each component obeys the Ohm’s law independently
• Total current equals the sum of currents through various components
• = + + +…
After this lecture you should be able to:
• Understand the difference between series and parallel circuits.
• Calculate the total resistance and current in series and parallel
circuits.