Switch two resistors between series and parallel. Watch the charge carriers speed up and split as the current divides, with the combined resistance, the branch currents and the p.d.s all obeying both Kirchhoff laws.
MissionPredict the combined resistance of two resistors connected in parallel, then check it against the live readout.Streak 0Best 0
Two resistors in parallel give a combined resistance that is:
arrangementseries
combined resistance R10.0 Ω
supply current I = V/R1.20 A
current in R₁ , R₂1.20 A , 1.20 A
p.d. across R₁ , R₂4.0 V , 6.0 V
Series: R = R₁ + R₂. Parallel: 1/R = 1/R₁ + 1/R₂, always less than the smaller resistor.