EVERWIN PUBLIC SCHOOL
PHYSICS
INVESTIGATORY PROJECT
NAME: MERVIN REMO D.W
CLASS & SEC: XII ‘DILIGENT’
TOPIC
RESISTORS
IN
SERIES & PARALLEL
INDEX
CONTENT PAGE NO.
CERTIFICATE
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
AIM
INTRODUCTION
TYPES OF RESISTORS
SERIES AND PARALLEL
CIRCUITS
RESISTORS IN SERIES
SERIES CIRCUIT
RESISTORS IN
PARALLEL
PARALLEL CIRCUIT
THINGS TO REMEMBER
CONCLUSION
BIBLIOGRAPHY
AIM
TO STUDY THE PHENOMENON OF RESISTORS IN
SERIES & PARALLEL
COMBINATION
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of electrical circuits is to supply
electricity for an appliance, tool, or other type of
electrical device. These devices are called loads.
Before the load will operate, electricity must have
a complete path from the source to the load and
back to the source. This path for electricity is
called a circuit. Two types of circuits are
commonly used to supply electrical power, series
and parallel.
A resistor is a passive two-terminal electrical
component that implements electrical resistance as
a circuit element. Resistors reduce the current flow
and lower voltage levels within circuits. Most
circuits often have more than one resistor to limit
the flow of charges in a circuit.
Types of Resistors
A resistor works by converting the electrical energy into
heat, which is expelled into the air. There are many
types of resistors used in the industry. A few of them are
listed below:
Light-dependent resistor or LDR
The resistance of this kind of resistor depends on the
intensity of light falling on it. This resistor works on the
principle of photoconductivity. When an LDR is kept in
the dark place its resistance is high and when the LDR is
kept in the light its resistance will decrease.
Variable resistor
This one is the most commonly used type of resistor;
these resistors consist of a fixed value of resistance
between two terminals. Different types of variable
resistors are rheostats, digital resistors, and
potentiometers.
Film type resistor or Cermet Resistor
Under these three types of resistors come such as
carbon, metal, and metal oxide.
These resistors are made with the deposition of pure
metals. The resistance value of a resistor can be changed
or controlled by increasing the width of the deposited
film.
Ohmic resistors
These are the types of resistors that follow ohm’s law.
These resistors are called the ohmic resistors or linear
resistors.
Carbon resistor
It is one of the most common types of resistors used in
electronics carbon resistors that come in different
physical sizes. These resistors are mostly preferred
because they are very cheap, solid, and can be inserted
directly onto the circuit boards. The two simplest
combinations of resistors are – series and parallel. In this
project, we will be discussing resistors in series and
parallel combination.
Series and Parallel Circuits
RESISTORS IN SERIES
Two or more resistors are said to be connected in
series when the same amount of current flows
through all the resistors. In such circuits, the voltage
across each resistor is different. In a series connection,
if any resistor is broken or a fault occurs, then the
entire circuit is turned off. The construction of a series
circuit is simpler compared to a parallelcircuit.
The following discussion will explain the differences
between the two circuits and how to calculate the
total resistance of the circuit.
Series Circuit
In a series circuit the electricity has no alternative
paths. All of the electricity must pass through all of the
components in the circuit
For the electricity to leave and return to the source it
must pass through all three loads, resistors. In a series
circuit the total resistance of the circuit is the sum of
each resistance where the unit or resistance in the Ohm
(▲).
RT = R1 + R2 + R3 +· · ·+ RN
The total amperage flow in the circuit can be
determined by dividing the source voltage by the total
resistance.
Advantages:
It is used when not one but hundreds of bulbs or lights
are to be used together.
It is safer because less current flows through the
circuit
It’s easier to switch on or off all the bulbs or lights or
all the appliances as they are connected together
Disadvantages:
One single appliance cannot be switched off
separately as all the electrical appliances have only
one switch
If one component is fused or stops working then the
other component of circuit will not function.
All the components do not get the same voltage as the
voltage gets divided in series or combinations.
RESISTORS IN PARALLEL
Two or more resistors are said to be connected in
parallel when the voltage is the same across all the
resistors. In such circuits, the current is branched out
and recombined when branches meet at a common
point. A resistor or any other component can be
connected or disconnected easily without affecting
other elements in a parallel circuit
Parallel Circuit
In a parallel circuit the electricity has alternative paths
to follow and consequently the total resistance of the
circuit is not equal to the sum of the individual
resistances. The total amperage in the circuit is
determined by the total resistance, but total
resistance is determined differently from series
circuits. The amperage through any path is
determined by the voltage at the path and the
resistance of the path.The total resistance can be
determined by more than one method. In one method,
the inverse of the total resistance is the sum of the
inverses of each resistance in
1 1 1 + …. + 1
𝑜𝑎
= +
1 2 n
The sum of reciprocals of resistance of an individual
resistor is the total reciprocal resistance of the system.
Advantages:
Individual appliance can be turned on or off separately
Each electrical appliance gets the same voltage as the
power supply line.
If for some reason one electrical appliance stops
working due to some defect then all other appliances
won’t stop working.
Disadvantages:
It is less safe as more current can pass through the
circuit
This method is tedious to use if thousands of
appliances or bulbs are to be switched on or off
together
Things to Remember
Resistors are two-terminal devices, and the
functionality of a resistor are voltage division,
regulation of current in the device and adjusting signal
level.
Representation of a resistor is done through Ohm’s
Law.
The SI unit of resistance is the ohm. It is denoted in
the form of a Greek letter, i.e “Ω”.
In resistors in series connection, resistors are in a
sequential array of resistors to form an electronic
device.
In resistors in parallel connection, the terminals of
resistors are connected to the same terminal of the
other resistor to form an electronic device
Conclusion
The current flowing through each resistor in a series
circuit is constant, but the voltage drop across
each resistor varies. The electric potential difference
across each resistor (V) is the same in
parallel circuits, but current flowing is different . In a
resistor, the current follows Ohm’s law: I = V /R.
Because the voltage across each resistor is the same, the
current will be lowest where the
resistance is greatest.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Wikipedia.com
Google search engine
Physics NCERT book of class XII
www.knowledgecycle.com
