Often it is true in physics that if you can understand one thing then it will automatically help you to understand something else. A good example of this occurs in resistance, where the model of resistance in a wire links directly to the behaviour of circuits that have resistors arranged either in series or in … Continue reading Resistance theory
Current and Voltage rules
There is a clear pattern to the measurements of current and potential difference (voltage) in electrical circuits - which, for us, means series and parallel circuits. These two patterns were identified by Gustav Kirchhoff and are therefore known as Kirchhoff's Laws. Kirchhoff's current law states that the sum of the currents flowing into a junction … Continue reading Current and Voltage rules
Series and Parallel Circuits
Electric circuits are all about energy transfers: they allow the energy in the original source to be transferred via electricity into some other form. In the classic torch-bulb circuit, for example, chemical energy (in the cells) is converted into electrical energy, which is then converted into light (and heat, for old-fashioned bulbs). The amount of … Continue reading Series and Parallel Circuits
