Series & Parallel Resistors: Understanding the Basics

[Fys]

I had a question
I sometimes don't know If resistors are in serie or parallel
Like in the image I posted

is it right that 1 is parallel with 2, 2 is parallel with 3, 3 parallel with 4, 4 parallel with 5 and 5 par with 6?
How can I make one resistor out of this 7 resistors, or from 1 till 6

Thanks

 

[berkeman]

Welcome to the PF. Is this a homework question? If so, I can move it to the Homework Help forums.

If you are asking how to fold up the resistors left to right (to get the equivalent resistance seen at the terminals at the right), then look at the left resistors 1 & 2. Are they in parallel or in series, as seen at the two nodes that they present to resistors 3 and 7? They are in parallel. So combine them using the parallel combination equation, and now look at what you have with resistors 3, 7, and the combination of 1 & 2. Those three resistancea are in _________________ (you fill in the blank). Now keep doing this kind of combinations of resistors, and you fold up the network left to right.

 

[ravenprp]

for your question about series and parallel resistors. The image you posted shows a combination of both series and parallel circuits. In a series circuit, the resistors are connected end-to-end, meaning the current flows through each resistor one after the other. In a parallel circuit, the resistors are connected side-by-side, meaning the current is divided between them.

In your example, resistors 1 and 2 are in parallel, as well as 3 and 4, and 5 and 6. However, the entire combination of resistors 1-6 is in series with resistor 7. This means that the current will flow through resistors 1-6 first, then through resistor 7.

To calculate the equivalent resistance of this circuit, you can use the following formulas:

For resistors in series: Req = R1 + R2 + R3 + ...

For resistors in parallel: 1/Req = 1/R1 + 1/R2 + 1/R3 + ...

To simplify this circuit into one equivalent resistor, you can use these formulas to calculate the total resistance. In this case, resistor 7 is already in series with the combination of resistors 1-6, so you can simply add its resistance to the equivalent resistance of resistors 1-6 to get the total resistance of the circuit.

I hope this helps you understand the basics of series and parallel resistors. If you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to ask.