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Electricity

Parallel Circuits

What is the Current in each Branch of a Parallel Circuit?

From the previous page, the current A₂ flowing
through the branch with the 2 ohm resistor is 6 amps.

The current A₃ flowing through the 3 ohm resistor is

I = V ÷ R

   = 12 ÷ 3

      = 4 amps.

The current A₄ flowing through the 4 ohm resistor is

I = V ÷ R

   = 12 ÷ 4

      = 3 amps.

Notice that the bigger the resistance, the smaller the current.

What is the Total Current in a Parallel Circuit?

The total current at A₁ or A₅ is
found by adding up the current in each branch.

A₁ = A₂ + A₃ + A₄

= 6 + 4 + 3

= 13 amps.

This is much larger than the current of 1·333 amps
that flows through a series circuit with
the same resistors and the same supply voltage.

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