Required Formulas to Solve Parallel Circuit
The following formulas can be used accordingly to solve parallel circuit. Let V be the applied voltage on the parallel circuit with resistors R1, R2 and R3 with total current ‘I’ flow through the circuit. As we know in the parallel circuit the current is different for all the components so, the current flowing through R1, R2 and R3 is I1, I2 and I3 respectively.
Using Ohm’s Law for Parallel Circuits to Determine Current
We know that in a parallel circuit the current is divided among the resistors. So, the total current flowing through the parallel circuit is equal to the total voltage divided by total resistance. Alternatively, it can also be calculated by adding all the currents flowing in all resistors.
I = V / R
or
I = I1 + I2 + I3
How to Calculate Total Resistance in a Parallel Circuit
The total resistance in a parallel circuit is calculated by taking the reciprocal of the sum of the reciprocals of all the resistances connected in parallel. Alternatively, the total resistance in a parallel circuit is equal to the product of all the resistances connected in parallel divided by the sum of all the resistances in parallel.
1/R = [1/R1 + 1/R2 + 1/R3]
or
R = (R1 × R2 × R3) / (R1 + R2 + R3)
Voltage in a Parallel Circuit
In a parallel circuit the voltage is same for all the resistors. The voltage across each resistor is equal to the total applied voltage in a parallel circuit.
V = V1 = V2 = V3
where,
V is applied voltage
V1, V2 and V3 are voltages across resistors R1, R2 and R3 respectively.
Current through Each Resistor
To calculate the current through each resistor we divide the voltage across the given resistor with the resistance of the desired resistor. As we know that the voltage is same for all resistors of parallel circuit. So, to get the current through a specific resistor we divide the voltage by the resistance of the resistor.
I1 = V/R1
I2 = V/R2
I3 = V/ R3
How to Solve Parallel Circuit
A parallel circuit is one of the important electric circuits. To solve parallel circuits, we use different formulas accordingly. We can calculate the total current, total resistance, voltage, and current through specific resistors accordingly to solve parallel circuits. The total current in a parallel circuit is the sum of the current in all the branches whereas the total resistance is the reciprocal of the addition of the reciprocal of resistances.
In this article, we will discuss parallel circuits, how to solve parallel circuits, and formulas to solve parallel circuits. We will also solve some examples and discuss the applications, advantages, and disadvantages of parallel circuits. Let’s start our learning on the topic “How to solve Parallel Circuit”.
Table of Content
- Parallel Circuit
- Solve Parallel Circuit
- Formulas
- Solved Examples
- Advantages and Disadvantages
- Applications