Uploaded January 2019 | Updated September 2026, 3 days ago
This video uses a simulation from PhET to show how the following characteristics of light bulbs in parallel changes when a third bulb is added in parallel to the circuit:
a) the total current through the circuit
b) the total resistance of the circuit
c) the current through bulb 1 and bulb 2
d) the voltage drop across bulb 1 and bulb 2
e) the brightness of bulb 1 and bulb 2
For parallel circuits, when a third bulb is added in parallel the total current increase and the total resistance decrease. But the current through the other two bulbs, the voltage drop across the other two bulbs and the brightness of the other two bulbs stays the same. Check out the video to see why!
In a series circuit, the current is only able to flow through a single path. In a series circuit, the current is the same throughout the entire circuit. The voltage in a series circuit is divided across each of the resistors. If one of the resistors in a series circuit stops working, the current will not be able to flow through the rest of the circuit.
In a parallel circuit, the electrical current flows through multiple paths before returning to the power source. The voltage drop in a parallel circuit is the same across all of the resistors. In a parallel circuit, the current is divided up through each of the resistors. If one of the resistors in a parallel circuit stops working, the other resistors in parallel will be able to continue to working.
A resistor limits the electric current that flows through a circuit. Resistance is the restriction of current. In a resistor the energy of the electrons that pass through the resistor are changed to heat and/or light. For example, in a light bulb, the tungsten filament acts as a resistor that heats up because of the current going through it, causing it to glow. Ohm’s law, V = I x R, states that the voltage drop across a resistor is equal to the product of the current flowing in the resistor multiplied by the resistance of the resistor.
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This video uses a simulation from PhET to show how the following characteristics of light bulbs in parallel changes when a third bulb is added in parallel to the circuit:
a) the total current through the circuit
b) the total resistance of the circuit
c) the current through bulb 1 and bulb 2
d) the voltage drop across bulb 1 and bulb 2
e) the brightness of bulb 1 and bulb 2
For parallel circuits, when a third bulb is added in parallel the total current increase and the total resistance decrease. But the current through the other two bulbs, the voltage drop across the other two bulbs and the brightness of the other two bulbs stays the same. Check out the video to see why!
In a series circuit, the current is only able to flow through a single path. In a series circuit, the current is the same throughout the entire circuit. The voltage in a series circuit is divided across each of the resistors. If one of the resistors in a series circuit stops working, the current will not be able to flow through the rest of the circuit.
In a parallel circuit, the electrical current flows through multiple paths before returning to the power source. The voltage drop in a parallel circuit is the same across all of the resistors. In a parallel circuit, the current is divided up through each of the resistors. If one of the resistors in a parallel circuit stops working, the other resistors in parallel will be able to continue to working.
A resistor limits the electric current that flows through a circuit. Resistance is the restriction of current. In a resistor the energy of the electrons that pass through the resistor are changed to heat and/or light. For example, in a light bulb, the tungsten filament acts as a resistor that heats up because of the current going through it, causing it to glow. Ohm’s law, V = I x R, states that the voltage drop across a resistor is equal to the product of the current flowing in the resistor multiplied by the resistance of the resistor.
Social Media for Step by Step Science:
Teacher Pay Teachers Store: tinyurl.com/y6d2cdfj
Instagram: instagram.com/stepbystepscience101
Website: stepbystepscience.com
Blog: stepbystepscience.com/blog
Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/stepbystepscience
This video can be shared at: youtu.be/RuQuPBiKXMk
Support my channel by doing all of the following:
(1) Subscribe, get all my physics, chemistry and math videos
(2) Give me a thumbs up for this video
(3) Leave me a nice positive comment
(4) Share is Caring, sharing this video with all of your friends
