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Parallel DC Circuits Practice Worksheet With Answers
24 questions By Tony R. Kuphaldt
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Question 7 of 24
Identify which of these circuits is a parallel circuit (there may be more than one shown!):
Reveal answerCircuits D and E are parallel circuits.
Circuit B is a series-parallel circuit as it includes resistors in series and in parallel.
Notes:The purpose of this question is to get students to identify what distinguishing characteristic uniquely identifies a circuit as being “parallel.” Once this has been identified, there are several conclusions which may be deduced (regarding voltage drops, currents, resistances, etc.).
Some students may have difficulty distinguishing that circuit E is a parallel circuit, but it is!
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Question 8 of 24
Determine the amount of voltage impressed across each resistor in this circuit:
Hint: locate all the points in this circuit that are electrically common to one another!
Reveal answerEach resistor has 15 volts across it in this circuit.
Notes:The hint suggesting identification of electrically common points is critical to students’ understanding of parallel circuits. Once they see that there is no difference (as far as voltage is concerned) between the top of one resistor, the top of the other, or the top of the battery (and likewise for all the bottom connections), it should become clearly evident why voltage must be equal across these three components.
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Question 9 of 24
According to Ohm’s Law, how much current goes through each of the two resistors in this circuit?
Draw the paths of all currents in this circuit.
Reveal answerIR(2.2k) = 10.91 mA
IR(4.7k) = 5.11 mA
Follow-up question: how much total current does the battery supply to the circuit, given these individual resistor currents?
Notes:A key element to this question is the plotting of currents. Students need to see how individual resistor currents graphically relate to the total source current in a parallel circuit, because this has direct bearing on the calculation of total current, and also to an understanding of total resistance in parallel circuits.
