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2365 02 l2 202 Handout 5

This document discusses calculating the total resistance of circuits with resistors connected in parallel. It provides the formula for calculating total resistance of parallel resistors by adding the reciprocals of the individual resistances. Examples are given of calculating total resistance for circuits with 2 and 3 resistors in parallel. Kirchhoff's Current Law is also explained, which states that the total current entering a node must equal the total current leaving the node.

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136 views5 pages

2365 02 l2 202 Handout 5

This document discusses calculating the total resistance of circuits with resistors connected in parallel. It provides the formula for calculating total resistance of parallel resistors by adding the reciprocals of the individual resistances. Examples are given of calculating total resistance for circuits with 2 and 3 resistors in parallel. Kirchhoff's Current Law is also explained, which states that the total current entering a node must equal the total current leaving the node.

Uploaded by

dvm4yfptzm
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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SmartScreen

Level 2 Diploma in Electrical Installations (Buildings and Structures) Unit 202 Handout 5

202: Principles of electrical science


Handout 5: Resistors in parallel

Learning outcome
The learner will:
2. know the principles of basic electrical circuits.

Assessment criteria
The learner can:
2.2. apply Ohm’s law to electrical circuits.

Range
 Electrical circuits: Series, parallel.

Resistors in parallel
In order to find the total resistance of any parallel circuit, we must add
the reciprocal ( ⁄ of all the resistances together.
The formula for calculating the total resistance of resistors connected
in parallel is given below.

Example 1
Calculate the total resistance of a parallel circuit if:
.

Find the lowest common denominator, which is 36:

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Level 2 Diploma in Electrical Installations (Buildings and Structures) Unit 202 Handout 5

Inverting both sides of the equation will give us Rt:

The total resistance of the circuit will determine the amount of current that will flow in that
circuit.

Example 2
Calculate the total resistance of a parallel circuit if

Find the lowest common denominator, which is 90:

Inverting both sides of the equation will give us Rt:

It can be seen that in all parallel circuits the total resistance of the circuit is always less than
the smallest resistance in that circuit.

Two resistors in parallel


When there are only two resistors in parallel, the
equivalent total resistance of the combination may be
found by using the product over sum method, as
shown below.
 The product of two numbers is the
multiplication of the two numbers.
 The sum of two numbers is the addition of the
two numbers.

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Level 2 Diploma in Electrical Installations (Buildings and Structures) Unit 202 Handout 5

Example 3
Calculate the total resistance of two resistors connected in parallel if R 1 = 6 and R2 = 4.

This method only works for two resistors in parallel.

If all the resistors in parallel are of the same value, then all that has to be done, in order to
calculate the total resistance of the circuit, is to take any one resistor and divide its value by
the number of resistors that are in the parallel combination.

Kirchoff’s Current law


The sum of the currents arriving at a point must
equal the sum of the currents leaving that point.

In any parallel branch/circuit, the voltage will always be the same across each individual
resistor, but the current may be different depending on the value of the resistor.
Since the voltage is constant, it makes it easy to calculate the current flowing through each
individual resistor.

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Level 2 Diploma in Electrical Installations (Buildings and Structures) Unit 202 Handout 5

Example 4

If we calculate the total resistance of the parallel network:

and then calculate the total current using Ohm’s law:

– Kirchhoff’s law is proved.

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Level 2 Diploma in Electrical Installations (Buildings and Structures) Unit 202 Handout 5

The sum of the currents through the resistors is the same as the current drawn from the
supply; therefore, the solution is correct according to Kirchhoff’s Current law.

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