Series and Parallel Resistors

Dr.-Eng. Hisham El-Sherif ELCT708: Electronics for Biotechnology

Electronics and Electrical Engineering Department 1
Objectives

To calculate the equivalent resistance of

series and parallel resistors.

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Electronics and Electrical Engineering Department 2
Examples for resistors in parallel and series

R4 R5

Series R6
R7 // R8

R4 // R5
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 Elements in Series

• Suppose two elements are connected with nothing coming off in between
• KCL says that the elements carry the same current.
• We say these elements are in series.

i1 – i2 = 0 i1 = i2
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 Resistors in Series

R1 R2 R3
+ i R1 - + i R2 - + i R3 -
+ VTOTAL -

• Each resistor has the same current (labeled i).

• Each resistor has voltage iR, given by Ohm’s law.
• The total voltage drop across all 3 resistors is
VTOTAL = i R1 + i R2 + i R3 = i (R1 + R2 + R3)

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 i

R1 R2 R3
+ v -
• When we look at all three resistors together as one unit, we see that
they have the same I-V relationship as one resistor, whose value is
the sum of the resistances:
• So we can treat these resistors as
just one equivalent resistance, as
long as we are not interested in the i
individual voltages. Their effect on
the rest of the circuit is the same, R1 + R2 + R3
whether lumped together or not.
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+ v -
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Example
Find Req

Solution
v1 = iR1,
v2 = iR2

If we apply KVL to the loop, we have

−v + v1 + v2 = 0
Then
v = v1 + v2
v = i(R1 + R2) ,
Req = R1 + R2
v = iReq
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The equivalent resistance of any number of resistors connected in series
is the sum of the individual resistances.

For N resistors in series then,

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 Parallel Elements

• KVL tells us that any set of elements which are directly connected by
wire at both ends carry the same voltage.
• We say these elements are in parallel.

KVL clockwise,
start at top:

Vb – Va = 0

Va = Vb

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Electronics and Electrical Engineering Department 9
Parallel Resistors
• Resistors in parallel carry the same voltage. All of the resistors
below have voltage VR .
• The current flowing through each resistor could definitely be
different. Even though they have the same voltage, the
resistances could be different.
i1 = VR / R1
+
i2 = VR / R2
R1 R2 R3 VR
i1 i2 i3 i3 = VR / R3
_

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Example :- Find Requ

From Ohm’s law,

v = i1R1 = i2R2

Applying KCL at node a gives the total current i as

i - i1 - i2 = 0 where
i = i1 + i2

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• If we view the three resistors as one unit, with a current iTOTAL going in,
and a voltage VR, this unit has the following I-V relationship:
iTOTAL = i1 + i2 + i3 = VR(1/R1 + 1/R2 + 1/R3) in other words,
VR = (1/R1 + 1/R2 + 1/R3)-1 iTOTAl
So to the outside world, the parallel resistors look like one:

iTOTAL iTOTAL

+
+
VR R1 VR REQ
R2 R3
i1 i2 i3 _
_

1 1 1 1
= + +
Req R1 R2 R3
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 In case of two equal resistance in parallel
The equivalent resistance of two parallel resistors is equal to the product of
their resistances divided by their sum.

R1 = R2, then Req = R1/ 2.

R1 = R2 = · · · = RN = R, then

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 Example:- Resistance in series and Parallel

Find total power expended in the circuit

Ω Ω Ω

10V Ω 10V

Ω Ω Ω

R = R1 + R2 + … + Rn R = (5 + 35 + 25 + 10 + 5 + 50 + 15)kΩ
V 2 10 2 10 2 100
p= = = = = 0.7mW
R R (5 + 35 + 25 + 10 + 5 + 50 + 15)kΩ 145kΩ
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Example

Find RAB

Combining resistors, and further to:

The circuit is now reduced to:

RAB = 8K
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Example
Find Req of the circuit

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Example
Find equivalent resistance

Ω Ω Ω

Ω Ω Ω 10V

10V
Ω Ω Ω

Ω Ω Ω Ω

10V 10V

Ω Ω Ω Ω Ω

Ω Ω Ω Ω
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Electronics and Electrical Engineering Department 17
 Ω Ω Ω

10V

Ω
10V Ω Ω Ω

Ω Ω Ω

10V 10V

Ω Ω

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Electronics and Electrical Engineering Department 18