Potential Difference in Series & Parallel Circuits

[forevermoreOC]

If you have two globes in series and one globe in parallel all connected to a circuit, how can you determine the potential difference?

 

[forevermoreOC]

potential difference acorss one globe in series, and the globe in parallel

 

[Brad Barker]

eh?

are the globes resistors connected to an emf source?

if that's the case, redraw your diagram with those jagged, resistor lines... :tongue:

 

[forevermoreOC]

there are two globes in series and one in parallel within this circuit, how do i find the potential difference across one of the series globes and the parallel globe?

 

[forevermoreOC]

ok nevermind, i worked it out

 

[forevermoreOC]

in order to calculate emf (potential) within a circuit, do you have to first find the current of the total circuit and then multiply that by the resistance that you want to find the potential on?

 

[Brad Barker]

in order to calculate emf (potential) within a circuit, do you have to first find the current of the total circuit and then multiply that by the resistance that you want to find the potential on?

i don't follow.

if you want to find the voltage supplied by the emf source, you reduce the circuit to a simple equivalent circuit consisting of a single resistor connected to an emf source. the emf provided by the source is the same as the voltage drop across the resistor, which is determined by the product of the current in this configuration and the equivalent resistance.

if you want to find the voltage drop across each individual resistor, you multiply the current passing through that resistor with its value of resistance.