All Flashcards
What is Kirchhoff's Junction Rule?
The total current entering a junction must equal the total current leaving that junction, based on conservation of charge.
Define electric current.
The rate of charge transfer; the amount of charge flowing past a point per unit time.
What is resistance?
A measure of the opposition to current flow in an electrical circuit.
Define a series circuit.
A circuit in which components are arranged along a single path, so the current is the same through all components.
Define a parallel circuit.
A circuit in which components are arranged in multiple paths, so the voltage is the same across all components.
What is voltage?
The electric potential difference between two points in a circuit, measured in volts.
What are the key differences between series and parallel circuits regarding current?
Series: Current is the same at all points. | Parallel: Total current is the sum of currents in each branch.
What are the key differences between series and parallel circuits regarding voltage?
Series: Voltage drops add up to the battery voltage. | Parallel: Voltage is the same across each branch and equal to the battery's voltage.
How does adding resistors affect total resistance in series vs. parallel circuits?
Series: Adding resistors increases total resistance. | Parallel: Adding resistors decreases total resistance.
Compare the formulas for calculating total resistance in series and parallel circuits.
Series: | Parallel:
In a series circuit, what happens to the current if one resistor increases in resistance? What happens in a parallel circuit?
Series: Current decreases. | Parallel: Total current from the source will decrease, but current through other branches remains relatively unchanged if the voltage source is ideal.
What is the effect of increasing the resistance in a series circuit?
Decreases the current in the entire circuit.
What is the effect of adding more branches to a parallel circuit?
Increases the total current drawn from the source and decreases the total resistance.
What happens to the voltage drop across a resistor if the current through it increases?
The voltage drop increases, according to Ohm's Law ().
What happens to the total power dissipated in a series circuit if the voltage is increased?
The total power dissipated increases, since and resistance is constant.
What happens to the current in other branches of a parallel circuit if one branch is removed?
The current in the remaining branches stays the same (assuming an ideal voltage source), but the total current supplied by the source decreases.
What happens when the temperature of a resistor increases?
The resistance of the resistor typically increases, which can affect the current and voltage distribution in the circuit.