Parallel Circuits:

Tow elements, branches, or networks are in parallel if they have two points in common.

In other words, components are connected in parallel when they have the same potential applied
across their terminals. Or any two (or more) networks are in parallel if they have two points in
common.

((3 parallel circuits))

1
For parallel elements:
𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 𝟏
= + + ………+
𝑹𝒆𝒒 𝑹𝟏 𝑹𝟐 𝑹𝒏
𝟏
∴ 𝑹𝒆𝒒 = 𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 (Ω) ohms
+ + …+
𝑹𝟏 𝑹𝟐 𝑹𝒏
∴ 𝟏
𝑮=
𝑹
∴ The total conductance of a parallel network is equal to:
𝑮𝑻 = 𝑮 𝟏 + 𝑮𝟐 + … … … + 𝑮 𝒏 (in siemens)
Note that the total resistance of parallel resistors is always less than the value of the smallest
resistor.
[ we can use this fact for checking purposes in parallel circuits ]

Example: Determine the total resistance for the following circuit.

𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 𝟏
= + + = + + = 𝟎.𝟓 + 𝟎.𝟐𝟓 + 𝟎.𝟐 = 𝟎.𝟗𝟓
𝑹𝑻 𝑹𝟏 𝑹𝟐 𝑹𝟑 𝟐 𝟒 𝟓
𝟏
∴ 𝑹𝑻 =
𝟎.𝟗𝟓
= 𝟏.𝟎𝟓𝟑 Ω 2
For equal resistors in parallel (for (N) equal resistors)
𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 𝟏
= + + …+ = 𝑵( )
𝑹𝑻 𝑹 𝑹 𝑹 𝑹

𝑹
∴ 𝑹𝑻 = (Ω) ohms
𝑵

The conductance G of equal resistors is:

𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 𝑵 𝟏
𝑮= → 𝑮𝑻 = =𝑹 = = 𝑵 = 𝑮𝑵
𝑹 𝑹𝑻 𝑵 𝑹 𝑹

∴ 𝑮𝑻 = 𝑮 ∗ 𝑵 siemens
For two parallel resistors:
𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 𝑹𝟐 +𝑹𝟏
= + =
𝑹𝑻 𝑹𝟏 𝑹𝟐 𝑹𝟏 𝑹𝟐

𝑹𝟏 𝑹𝟐
∴ 𝑹𝑻 = (Ω)
𝑹𝟏 +𝑹𝟐
For three parallel resistors:
𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 𝑹𝟐 𝑹𝟑 +𝑹𝟏 𝑹𝟑 +𝑹𝟏 𝑹𝟐
= + + =
𝑹𝑻 𝑹𝟏 𝑹𝟐 𝑹𝟑 𝑹𝟏 𝑹𝟐 𝑹𝟑

𝑹𝟏 𝑹𝟐 𝑹𝟑
∴ 𝑹𝑻 =
𝑹𝟐 𝑹𝟑 +𝑹𝟏 𝑹𝟑 +𝑹𝟏 𝑹𝟐
(Ω) 3
 𝑹𝟏 𝑹𝟐
Or/ Let 𝑹𝑨 = 𝑹𝟏 // 𝑹𝟐 =
𝑹𝟏 +𝑹𝟐
𝑹𝑨 𝑹𝟑
Then 𝑹𝑻 = 𝑹𝑨 // 𝑹𝟑 =
𝑹𝑨 +𝑹𝟑
Recall that series elements can be interchanged without affecting the magnitude of the total resistance or
current.
In parallel networks, parallel elements can be interchanged without charging the total resistance or input
current.
Note in the next example how we can benefit from this point:
Example: Calculate the total resistance for the circuit:

𝑹 𝟔 (𝟗)(𝟕𝟐)
𝑹′𝑻 = = = 𝟐Ω & 𝑹′′𝑻 = = 𝟖Ω
𝑵 𝟑 𝟗 +(𝟕𝟐)
(𝟐)(𝟖) 𝟏𝟔
∴ 𝑹𝑻 = 𝑹′𝑻 // 𝑹′′𝑻 = = = 𝟏.𝟔Ω
𝟐 +(𝟖) 𝟏𝟎
4
In parallel circuits,
Since the terminal of the battery are
Connected directly a cross
the resister 𝑹𝟏 , 𝑹𝟐 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑹𝟑
∴ The voltage across parallel elements is the same.
∴ 𝑬 = 𝑽𝟏 = 𝑽𝟐 = 𝑽𝟑
From ohm’s law;
𝑽 𝑬 𝑽 𝑬 𝑽 𝑬
𝑰𝟏 = 𝟏 = , 𝑰𝟐 = 𝟐 = , 𝑰𝟑 = 𝟑 =
𝑹𝟏 𝑹𝟏 𝑹𝟐 𝑹𝟐 𝑹𝟑 𝑹𝟑

∴ 𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 𝟏
= + + (multiply both sides by E)
𝑹𝑻 𝑹𝟏 𝑹𝟐 𝑹𝟑

𝑬 𝑬 𝑬 𝑬
∴ = + +
𝑹𝑻 𝑹𝟏 𝑹𝟐 𝑹𝟑

∴ 𝑰𝑻 = 𝑰𝟏 + 𝑰𝟐 + 𝑰𝟑

* The power dissipated by the resistors are:

𝑽𝟐𝟏 𝑬𝟐
𝑷𝟏 = 𝑽𝟏 𝑰𝟏 = 𝑰𝟐𝟏 𝑹𝟏 = = (watt)
𝑹𝟏 𝑹𝟏

𝑽𝟐𝟐 𝑬𝟐
𝑷𝟐 = 𝑽𝟐 𝑰𝟐 = 𝑰𝟐𝟐 𝑹𝟐 = = (watt) 5
𝑹𝟐 𝑹𝟐
 𝑽𝟐𝟑 𝑬𝟐
𝑷𝟑 = 𝑽𝟑 𝑰𝟑 = 𝑰𝟐𝟑 𝑹𝟑 = = (watt)
𝑹𝟑 𝑹𝟑
The power delivered by the source is given by:
𝑷𝒔 = 𝑷𝟏 + 𝑷𝟐 + 𝑷𝟑
𝑬𝟐
Or 𝑷𝒔 = 𝑬𝑰𝑻 = 𝑰𝟐𝑻 𝑹𝑻 = (watt)
𝑹𝑻
Example: Six resistors connected in parallel have the following values : 120kΩ, 60kΩ, 40kΩ, 5kΩ, 4kΩ and 2kΩ,
calculate the:
a) Equivalent conductance of the parallel combination.
b) Equivalent resistance of the parallel combination.
c) Circuit voltage if 20mw is dissipated by the 5kΩ resistor.
d) Current in the 40kΩ resistor.
e) Total current drawn from the supply.
f) Total power drawn from the supply.
Sol:
𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 𝑬𝟐
a) 𝑮𝑻 = + + + + + c) 𝟐𝟎𝒎𝒘 = → 𝑬𝟐 = 𝟏𝟎𝟎 → 𝑬 = 𝟏𝟎𝑽
𝟏𝟐𝟎𝒌 𝟔𝟎𝒌 𝟒𝟎𝒌 𝟓𝒌 𝟒𝒌 𝟐𝒌 𝟓𝒌
∴ 𝑮𝑻 = 𝟎.𝟎𝟎𝟏 𝑺 = 𝟏 𝒎𝑺

𝑬 𝟏𝟎𝑽
b) 𝑹𝑻 = 𝟏 𝑮𝑻 =𝟏 𝟎.𝟎𝟎𝟏 = 𝟏𝒌Ω d) 𝑰𝟒𝟎𝒌 = = = 𝟎.𝟐𝟓𝒎𝑨
𝟒𝟎𝒌 𝟒𝟎𝒌

6
 𝑬 𝟏𝟎𝒗
e) 𝑰𝑻 = = = 𝟏𝟎𝒎𝑨 𝒐𝒓 𝑰𝑻 = 𝑬𝑮𝑻 = 𝟏𝟎 ∗ 𝟏𝒎𝑺 = 𝟏𝟎𝒎𝑨
𝑹𝑻 𝟏𝒌Ω
f) 𝑷𝑻 = 𝑰𝑻 ∗ 𝑬 = 𝟏𝟎𝒎𝑨 ∗ 𝟏𝟎 = 𝟏𝟎𝟎𝒎𝒘
Example: Calculate the total circuit resistance and battery current for the following circuit. Prove that the power
delivered to the circuit is equal to the power dissipated in each resistor. 8Ω
Sol:
𝑹𝑻 = 8 // 6 // 12 24v 6Ω
𝟖 ∗ 𝟔 ∗ 𝟏𝟐 12Ω
=
𝟖 ∗ 𝟔 + 𝟖 ∗ 𝟏𝟐 + 𝟔 ∗ 𝟏𝟐
8Ω
𝟓𝟕𝟔
= = 𝟐. 𝟔𝟔𝟕Ω 6Ω
𝟐𝟏𝟔
𝑬 𝟐𝟒 24v 12Ω
∴ 𝑰𝑻 = = ≈ 𝟗𝑨
𝑹𝑻 𝟐. 𝟔𝟔𝟕
𝑷𝑻 = 𝟐𝟒 ∗ 𝟗 = 𝟐𝟏𝟔𝒘 ∴ ?
𝟐 𝟐
𝑷 𝑻 𝑷𝟏 + 𝑷𝟐 + 𝑷 𝟑
=
𝑬 (𝟐𝟒)
𝑷𝟏 = = = 𝟕𝟐𝒘 ?
𝟖 𝟖 𝟐𝟏𝟔 = 𝟕𝟐 + 𝟗𝟔 + 𝟒𝟖
𝑬 𝟐
𝑷𝟐 = = 𝟗𝟔𝒘 24v 8Ω 6Ω 12Ω
𝟔 ∴ 𝟐𝟏𝟔 = 𝟐𝟏𝟔 (𝒘𝒂𝒕𝒕)
𝑬𝟐
𝑷𝟑 = = 𝟒𝟖𝒘
𝟏𝟐 7
Kirchhoff’s Current Law:
States that the algebraic sum of all currents entering and leaving a node is zero.
𝑰𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 − 𝑰𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 = 𝟎
Or 𝑰𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 = 𝑰𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 amperes (A)
Example: In the following fig. the known currents are 𝑰𝟏 = 𝟒𝑨, 𝑰𝟐 = 𝟑𝑨, 𝑰𝟑 = 𝟐𝑨, 𝑰𝟒 = 𝟓𝑨, 𝑰𝟓 = 𝟏𝑨
𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑰𝟔 = 𝟐𝑨, each having the current direction shown. Calculate:
a) Current in resistor R, 𝑰𝑹
b) Currents and direction of 𝑰𝒙 .
Sol:
a) At node A:
𝑰𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 = 𝑰𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈

∴ 𝑰𝟏 + 𝑰𝟐 + 𝑰𝟑 = 𝑰𝑹 → 𝟒 + 𝟑 + 𝟐 = 𝑰𝑹 → 𝑰𝑹 = 𝟗𝑨
b) At node B: 𝑰𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 = 𝑰𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈
? ?
𝑰𝑹 + 𝑰𝟔 + 𝑰𝟒 = 𝑰𝟓 → 𝟗 + 𝟐 + 𝟓 = 𝟏
?
𝟏𝟔 = 𝟏 + 𝑰𝑿 → 𝑰𝑿 = 𝟏𝟔 − 𝟏 = 𝟏𝟓𝑨 leaving point B (why?) 8
Current Divider Rule (CDR):

𝑹𝑻

𝑽𝟏 = 𝑽𝟐 = 𝑽𝟑 = … = 𝑽𝒏
𝑰 = 𝑰𝟏 + 𝑰𝟐 + 𝑰𝟑 + … + 𝑰𝒏
∴ 𝑽 𝑰 𝑿 𝑹𝑿 𝑹𝑻
𝑰= = → 𝑰𝑿 = 𝑰 ‫حفظ‬
𝑹𝑻 𝑹𝑻 𝑹𝑿

General form of CDR

The CDR for 2 parallel resistors:
𝑹𝟏 𝑹𝟐
∴ 𝑹𝑻 =
𝑹𝟏 +𝑹𝟐
𝑹𝟏 𝑹𝟐
𝑹𝑻 𝑹𝟏 +𝑹𝟐
& 𝑰𝟏 = 𝑰 = ∗𝑰
𝑹𝟏 𝑹𝟏
𝑹𝟐
∴ 𝑰𝟏 = 𝑰 ∗
𝑹𝟏 +𝑹𝟐
Note the difference in subscript.
𝑹𝟏
& 𝑰𝟐 = 𝑰 ∗
𝑹𝟏 +𝑹𝟐
9
 Example: A 100V dc source supplies a current of 5mA to two resistors in parallel. If 𝑹𝟏 = 𝟏𝟎𝟎 𝒌Ω,
Calculate the:
a) Current in 𝑹𝟐
b) Value of 𝑹𝟐
c) Equivalent circuit resistance
d) Current in 𝑹𝟐 using the CDR
Sol:
𝟏𝟎𝟎𝑽
a) 𝑰𝟏𝟎𝟎𝒌 = = 𝟏𝒎𝑨
𝟏𝟎𝟎𝒌Ω
From KCL → 𝑰𝑻 = 𝑰𝟏 + 𝑰𝟐 → 𝑰𝟐 = 𝑰𝑻 − 𝑰𝟏 = 𝟓𝒎𝑨 − 𝟏𝒎𝑨 = 𝟒𝒎𝑨
𝑬 𝟏𝟎𝟎𝑽
b) 𝑹𝟐 = = = 𝟐𝟓𝒌Ω
𝑰𝟐 𝟒𝒎𝑨
𝟏𝟎𝟎𝒌∗𝟐𝟓𝒌
c) 𝑹𝑻 = = 𝟐𝟎𝐤Ω
𝟏𝟎𝟎+𝟐𝟓 𝒌
𝑹 𝟏𝟎𝟎𝒌Ω
d) 𝑰𝟐 = 𝑰 ∗ 𝟏 = 𝟓𝒎𝑨 ∗ = 𝟒𝒎𝑨
𝑹𝟏 +𝑹𝟐 𝟏𝟎𝟎+𝟐𝟓 𝒌Ω
6Ω 24Ω 24Ω
Example: Find the current 𝑰𝟏 for the following network:
Sol:
𝑹𝑻 𝟒Ω
𝑰𝟏 = ∗𝑰 ∴ 𝑰𝟏 = ∗ 𝟒𝟐 ∗ 𝟏𝟎−𝟑 𝒎𝑨 = 𝟐𝟖𝒎𝑨
𝑹𝟏 𝟔Ω
𝟐𝟒
We cannot use ∗ 𝟒𝟐𝒎𝑨
𝟔+𝟐𝟒 10
But we can do the following:
24 // 24Ω = 12Ω
𝟏𝟐Ω 6Ω 12Ω
𝑰𝟏 = ∗ 𝟐𝟒𝒎𝑨
(𝟔+𝟏𝟐)Ω
∴ 𝑰𝟏 = 𝟐𝟖𝒎𝑨
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Voltage Sources in Parallel:
The primary reason for placing two or more batteries in parallel of the same terminal voltage is to
increase the current rating of the source, as shown bellow:

The resulting power rating is twice that available with one supply.

11
Open and Short Circuits:
The following figure shows an open circuit that exists between terminals (a) and (b).

𝑽𝒂𝒃 = 𝑬 𝑽𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒏 𝒄𝒊𝒓𝒄𝒖𝒊𝒕 = 𝑬 𝒗𝒐𝒍𝒕𝒔

An open circuit is defined as infinite
resistance (zero conductance).
𝑽
𝑰= 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑹 = ∞, then the current is zero.
𝑹
* A short circuit is defined as a resistance of zero ohms (infinite conductance)
𝟐∗𝟎 Fuse
𝑹𝑻 = = 𝟎Ω
𝟐+𝟎
𝑬
∴𝑰 = = ∞𝑨
𝟎 2Ω
𝑽𝒂𝒃 = 𝑰 ∗ 𝑹𝒂𝒃 = 𝟎
𝑰𝟐Ω = 𝟎Ω
∴ 𝑹𝟐Ω is shorted by the connection (a b).

12
Example: Determine the voltage 𝑽𝒂𝒃 for the following network.
2kΩ 4kΩ
Sol:
The open circuit requires
that (I) be zero amperes.
∴ 𝑽𝟐𝒌Ω = 𝑽𝟒𝒌Ω = 𝑰𝑹 = 𝟎 𝑹 = 𝟎𝑽
By applying KVL around the closed loop, 𝑽𝒂𝒃 = 𝑬 = 𝟐𝟎𝑽
Example: Calculate the current (I) and the voltage (V) for the following network.
Sol:
The 10kΩ has been shorted out.
𝑬 𝟏𝟖𝑽
∴𝑰= = = 𝟑.𝟔𝒎𝑨 5kΩ 10kΩ
𝑹𝟏 𝟓𝒌Ω
& 𝑽 = 𝑰𝑹 = 𝟓𝒌Ω ∗ 𝟑.𝟔𝑨 ∴ 𝑽 = 𝟏𝟖𝑽
Or 𝑽 = 𝑬 = 𝟏𝟖𝑽
Home work:
Q1: Two resistors must be selected so that the current in one is four times the current in the other. If
their equivalent parallel resistance is 5kΩ, calculate 𝑹𝟏 and 𝑹𝟐 .
[Ans: 6.25k, 25k] 13
Q2: A resistance 𝑹𝟏 of 5kΩ is shunted by a conductance G of 50µS. The combination draws a current of
10mA from a d.c. supply. Calculate :
a) 𝑮𝑻 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑹𝑻 b) 𝑰𝟏 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑰𝟐 c) the voltage across each resistor and the supply voltage.
[Ans: (a- 250µS, 4kΩ) (b- 8mA, 2mA) (c- 40V)]
Q3: Two conductances 𝑮𝟏 and 𝑮𝟐 having values of 600 and 900 µS respectively, are connected in
parallel. The combination is then connected in parallel with 800Ω resistor. Calculate the:
a) Equivalent resistance of the parallel circuit. [Ans: 363.63Ω].
b) Current in each branch if 𝑮𝟏 carries 2mA. [Ans: 3mA, 4.16mA].
c) Power dissipated in each branch. [Ans: 6.6mw, 10mw, 13.8mw].
d) Voltage across each component. [Ans: 3.33V].
e) Total power dissipated. [Ans: 30.5mw].
Q4: A 6V battery delivers 10mA to three resistors in parallel, 𝑹𝟏 = 𝟏𝒌Ω, 𝑹𝟐 = 𝟐𝒌Ω, 𝑹𝟑 = 𝑹𝑿 .
Calculate :
a) Current in 𝑹𝑿 , that is 𝑰𝑿 . [Ans: 1mA]
b) Power dissipated by 𝑹𝑿 and 𝑹𝟏 . [Ans: 6mw, 36mw]
c) Resistance ratio 𝑹𝑿 𝑹𝟏 . [Ans: 𝟔 𝟏]
14
d) Current ratio 𝑰𝟏 𝑰𝑿 . [Ans: 𝟔 𝟏]