How are parallel circuits and series circuits alike?

Answer 1

in parallel the voltage stays the same

in parallell the current is shared

in series the voltage is shared

in series the current stays the same

the main similarity between parallel and series circuits is when voltage increases, current increases.

Answer 2

Both parallel circuits and series circuits could have light bulbs, wires, batteries and switches in them. Is that perhaps the answer being looked for by the person(s) who asked this question?

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In fact there are more differences than similarities between series and parallel circuits. But circuits are not simply categorised as being 'series' or 'parallel'.

In fact, there are four categories of circuit. Series, parallel, series-parallel, and complex. The term 'complex' is somewhat misleading because it doesn't necessarily mean 'complicated'; rather, it is a 'catch all' expression for any circuit that isn't one of the others!

A series circuit is a one in which components, such as lamps, resistors, etc., are joined 'end-to-end' so that the same current must pass through each of these components. Whenever current passes through a component, it causes a voltage drop to appear across each, and the sum of each of these voltage drops will equal the supply voltage (Kirchhoff's Voltage Law). Old fashioned Christmas-tree lights are an example of a series circuit -you will probably remember that if one lamp goes out, then they all go out!!

A parallel circuit is one in which each component forms a separate 'branch', or route, through the circuit. The supply voltage is common to each of these branches, and each component draws its own, separate, current -the sum of which determines the amount of current drawn form the supply (Kirchhoff's Current Law). All the appliances in your house are connected in parallel with each other, so each is subject to the same supply voltage and, if one stops working, the others continue to work.

So, as you can see, there are nosimilarities between a series circuit and a parallel circuit, but there are important differences.

A series-parallel circuit (sometimes called a 'combinational' circuit) combines the characteristics of the series and the parallel circuit. For example if one branch of a parallel circuit consisted of three lamps in series with each other, then this would be a series-parallel circuit. There are an infinite number of examples of series-parallel circuits used in electronics.

A complex circuit describes any circuit which isn't series, parallel, or series-parallel. If you have access to any electrical textbook, you could look up a 'Wheatstone Bridge' circuit -this is a very simple example of a 'complex' circuit.

You cannot use the same rules to solve or to simplify complex circuits, as you can use for series, parallel, or series-parallel circuits. Instead, you must use one or other of a range of special methods, called Network Theorems. These include Thevenin's Theorem, Norton's Theorem, etc. These are best-learnt only after you have learned how to solve series, parallel, and series-parallel circuits!

Answer 3

Parallel and series circuits similarities:

Duh! they both connect!

mainly differences

-in parallel the ampere will be divided while in series the voltage will be divided

these divisions will be on the components of the circuit

-in parallel circuit, if a component broke down, others wont be affected while in series if 1 broke down rest will be affected (stopped)

(you should know that there are many combinations of series and parallel connections in 1 circuit

Answer 4

Both take current and energy from the power supply and dissipate power.

Answer 5

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