PARALLEL CIRCUIT: CHARACTERISTICS, HOW IT WORKS AND EXAMPLES - PHYSICAL - 2025

A parallel circuit is that scheme in which the electric current is distributed in various branches through the assembly. In these circuits the elements are located in parallel; that is, the terminals are connected between equals: positive with positive and negative with negative.

In this way, the voltage across each parallel element is exactly the same throughout the entire configuration. The series circuit consists of several circulation meshes, which are formed by the presence of nodes. In each branch the intensity of the current is divided, depending on the energy demand of the connected loads.

characteristics

This type of circuit has a parallel connection, which implies certain intrinsic properties of this type of scheme. The main characteristics of parallel circuits are described below:

The terminals of the elements are connected in parallel

As the name implies, the connections of all receivers coincide at their input and output terminals. This means that the positive terminals are connected to each other, just like the negative terminals.

The voltage is the same between all terminals in parallel

All components of the circuit that are connected in parallel are subjected to the same voltage level. That is, the voltage between vertical nodes is always the same. Thus, the equation that expresses this characteristic is the following:

When connecting batteries or cells in parallel, they maintain the same voltage level between nodes, as long as the polarity connection (positive-positive, negative-negative) is appropriate.

This configuration brings the advantage of the uniform consumption of the batteries that make up the circuit, with which the useful life of each of the batteries should be considerably longer.

The total current of the circuit is the sum of the currents of all the branches

The stream splits into all the nodes it passes through. Thus, the total system current is the sum of all branch currents.

The inverse of the total resistance of the circuit is the sum of the inverse of all the resistances

In this case, the sum of all the resistances is given by the following algebraic expression:

The greater the number of resistors connected to the circuit, the lower the total equivalent resistance of the system; and if the resistance decreases, then the total current intensity is higher.

Circuit components are independent of each other

If any of the nodes of the circuit is disincorporated or some of the electronic components melt, the rest of the circuit will continue to function with the connected branches that remain connected.

In turn, the parallel connection facilitates the independent activation or disconnection of each branch of the circuit, without necessarily affecting the rest of the assembly.

How does it work?

A parallel circuit works by connecting one or more power sources, which can be connected in parallel and provide electrical power to the system.

The electric current circulates through the circuit and forks as it passes through the assembly nodes -through the various branches-, depending on the energy demand of the components located in each branch.

The main advantage of parallel circuits is the robustness and reliability of the system, since if one of the branches is disconnected, the others continue to function as long as they have a power source.

This mechanism makes parallel circuits highly recommended in complex applications, in which it is necessary to have a backup mechanism to always guarantee the operation of the system in general.

How to do it?

The assembly of a parallel circuit is more elaborate compared to a series circuit, given the multiplicity of the branches and the care that must be taken with the connection of the terminals (+/-) of each element.

However, replicating a montage of this nature will be an easy task if you follow the following instructions exactly:

1- Place a wooden board as the base of the circuit. This material is suggested given its dielectric properties.

2- Locate the circuit battery: hold a standard battery (9 Volt, for example) to the base of the circuit by using electrical tape.

3- Place the switch next to the positive polarity of the battery. This way you can activate or interrupt the flow of current throughout the circuit, deactivating the power source.

4- Place two bulb holders in parallel with respect to the battery. The bulbs connected to these elements will act as resistors in the circuit.

5- Prepare the circuit conductors, cutting the cables according to the distances that exist between the circuit elements. It is important to remove the conductor coating at both ends, to guarantee direct contact of the copper with the terminals of each receiver.

6- Make the connections between the circuit components.

7- Finally, activate the switch to verify the lighting of the bulbs and, consequently, the correct operation of the circuit.

Examples

The vast majority of domestic applications - such as the internal circuits of a washing machine or the heating system - are precisely parallel circuits.

Residential lighting systems are also connected in parallel. This is why if we have several bulbs inside a luminaire and one burns out and leaves the branch out of service, the other bulbs can maintain their operation.

Parallel connections allow multiple plugs to be connected independently, allowing users to choose what to connect and what not to connect, as all applications need to be turned on simultaneously.

Parallel circuits are ideal for domestic and residential applications, as they maintain the voltage level between all nodes in the circuit.

In this way, it is guaranteed that the equipment that works at a specific voltage (110 V - 220 V) have the voltage level they require to operate satisfactorily.

References

1. Parallel and series circuits (sf). Recovered from: areatecnologia.com
2. Series and parallel circuits (2013). Recovered from: fisica.laguia2000.com
3. Parallel circuit (sf). Recovered at: edu.xunta.es
4. Series, Parallel and Mixed Circuit (2009). Recovered from: electricasas.com
5. How to make a parallel circuit (sf). Recovered from: es.wikihow.com
6. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia (2018). Parallel circuit. Recovered from: es.wikipedia.org