What is the difference between parallel and series circuits?

Answer 1

A series circuit is one in which the current must pass through all the electrical devices in the circuit in turn.

A parallel circuit is one in which the current passes through each electrical device on the circuit following separate, independent path from all other devices on the circuit, one for each electrical device.

Answer 2

In series circuits, the resistance adds up. In parallel circuits the resistance is reduced by the formula R1 X R2 / R1+R2. So two 4 ohm resistors in parallel would be equal to (1) 2 ohm resistor in place of the (2) 4 ohm resistors.

Answer 3

The primary difference between a series and a parallel circuit is how many pathways the current has to travel in. Let's look at both of them and see what's up.

In a simple series circuit, there is only one path for current. The current must flow through everycomponent in the circuit. As a consequence, if there is any break in the circuit at any point, all the current flow stops. Additionally, each component in the circuit "drops" or "feels" some amount of voltage across it. But if there are two or more components in the circuit, the applied voltage will be divided among the components. No component will drop or feel the entire applied voltage.

In a simple parallel circuit, there are multiple pathways (branches) for current flow, and if one of the pathways opens, current will still flow in the rest of the circuits. Each parallel pathway will "drop" or "feel" the entire applied voltage. No branch of the circuit will "depend" on another branch to continue its own operation; they all operate independently. A broken pathway in any branch will leave the other branches unaffected.

This is an elementary answer. But it is a beginning. Consider the wiring in a house. In residential wiring, all the "stuff" is plugged into outlets. If something is shut off, it does not affect anything else. All the loads are in parallel. Certainly if one shorts (and draws excessive current), a circuit breaker will open and several components may be affected. But, in general, each component operates independently of the others. In some of the older Christmas lights that usually were series, if one light fails, all the lights in that series circuit go out as a consequence.
Equipment connected in series circuit have one common point,but those in parallel have 2 common points.
in parallel connections if one bulb from the connection gets fused then also the other bulbs in the connection will remain glowing but in series connection if one bulb gets fused then no bulb of the connection will glow .

Answer 4

Series circuits have only one loop; parallel circuits have more than one loop.
In a series circuit, all dipoles are connected within the same loop as the generator (or other source of voltage). In a parallel circuit, some dipoles may be in different loops.

Kirchhoff's laws apply differently for each type of circuit. I suggest you look into that in more detail.

Answer 5

A series circuit is one in which the current must pass through all the electrical devices in the circuit in turn.

A parallel circuit is one in which the current passes through each electrical device on the circuit following separate, independent path from all other devices on the circuit, one for each electrical device.