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💡 Series and Parallel Circuits

See how the same components behave completely differently in series (one loop, shared voltage) versus parallel (branches, full voltage each) circuits.

lessons

~15 min

to learn

🔬 Science

subject

Teens

level

Start the course →

What you’ll learn

One Loop or ManyDefine series and parallel circuits by the paths the current can take.A circuit needs an unbroken loop. In a series circuit all components sit on one single loop with one path for the current. In a parallel circuit components sit on separate branches, so the current splits between them.
How They DifferCompare how voltage, current and a broken component behave in series and parallel.In series the voltage is shared, the same current flows through every part, and breaking the loop stops everything. In parallel each branch gets the full voltage, the current splits, and other branches keep working if one breaks.
Circuits Around UsRecognise series and parallel wiring in real devices and explain why homes use parallel.Homes are wired in parallel so each light and socket gets the full mains voltage and can be switched independently. Being able to spot whether a circuit is one loop or several branches lets you predict how it behaves.

Questions this course answers

In a series circuit, how many paths can the current take?

A series circuit is one single loop, so the current has only one path through every component.

What is special about the branches in a parallel circuit?

In parallel, every branch receives the full battery voltage because each is its own complete loop.

In a series circuit, what happens to the battery's voltage?

In series the voltage is shared out among the components, so adding more bulbs makes each one dimmer.

One bulb is removed from a series circuit. What happens to the others?

Removing a bulb breaks the single loop, so the current stops everywhere and all the bulbs go out.

Why are the lights in a house wired in parallel?

Parallel wiring gives every light the full mains voltage and independent switching, and one failure doesn't kill the rest.

Which describes a parallel circuit?

Parallel circuits have components on separate branches, so the current splits between them.

Grounded in trusted sources

BBC Bitesize — Electric circuits
The Physics Classroom
Britannica

Every Wunder lesson is built from real, reputable sources — never invented.

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