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Electricity

Series Circuits

What are the Voltages
across Different Components in a Series Circuit?

If we measure the voltage across the
components in the series circuit below we find that

1. The voltage for each component depends on its resistance.

The circuit below has three different resistors
and so V1, V2 and V3 will all be different.

2. The voltage across all of the components
adds up to the supply voltage from the cell (or battery).

Vsup = V1 + V2 + V3.

In energy terms, the work done by the cell on
each coulomb of charge is equal to the
work done on all of the components in the circuit.

Voltage in a Series Circuit

The supply voltage is shared between the components.
If there is a change in the resistance of one component
then the voltage across all of the components will change.

See how to calculate the voltages in the circuit above.

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