Basic Electrical Circuits
Any arrangement of components that allow an electrical current to flow Definition Any arrangement of components that allow an electrical current to flow
There is only one path for the electrons to flow A Basic Circuit Battery Source = Battery Wire Conductor = Wire Lamp Load = Lamp Switch Control = Switch There is only one path for the electrons to flow
A Series Circuit Source = Battery Load = 2 Lamps Conductor = Wire Control = Switch Electrons can only flow along one path, and MUST go through each component before getting to the next one. Switch
A Parallel Circuit Source = Battery Load = 3 Lamps 3 Lamps Battery Conductor = Wire Control = Switch Switch Wire Two or more components are connected so that current can flow to one of them WITHOUT going through another
A Series-Parallel Circuit A combination of components both in Series and in Parallel