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Year 10 - Science

Adding components to a parallel circuit

Electric fields and circuit calculations

Unit Summary

This unit covers static electricity, electric fields, and current flow in series and parallel circuits. It explains current, resistance, and potential difference relationships and explores diodes, thermistors, and LDRs. The focus is on calculations, experiments, and accurate measurements.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to use the rules for current and potential difference in a parallel circuit and explain the effects of adding a component.

Key Notes

  • The p.d. across each branch of a parallel circuit is the same as the p.d. across the battery.
  • The current through each branch of a parallel circuit adds up to the current through the battery.
  • Adding a component in a new branch of a parallel circuit reduces the resistance of the circuit.
  • Adding a component to an existing branch of a parallel circuit increases the resistance of the circuit.
  • The p.d. across the terminals of a battery does not change when components are added to a circuit.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • electric charge: an electrical property; it can either be positive or negative
  • parallel circuit: a circuit with separate branches connected to the battery
  • electric field: the invisible field around a charged object that causes other charges to experience a force
  • potential difference (p.d.): the voltage or a measure of the 'push' on electrons in a circuit
  • electric current: a measure of the amount of charge passing a given point in one second

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • To solve circuits you need only to put numbers into equations.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain the scientific idea in this lesson using two key points.

The p.d. across each branch of a parallel circuit is the same as the p.d. across the battery. The current through each branch of a parallel circuit adds up to the current through the battery.

2. Define this scientific word and use it in context. 'electric charge'

an electrical property; it can either be positive or negative. Include the word in a full scientific explanation, not as a single label.

3. Correct this common scientific misunderstanding.

Mistake: To solve circuits you need only to put numbers into equations. Correction: Talk through circuits with pupils before analysing them in order to develop an intrinsic understanding of how circuits work; research shows this improves pupils' problem solving ability for electric circuits.

More Lessons In This Unit

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