Energy Conservation in Parallel Circuits

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So each “closed loop” experiences the same voltage drop as the emf of the cell. So if you added the “total” voltage drop in the circuit, it would exceed that provided by the cell.

Voltage is Joules per Coulomb.

The number of Coulombs in a circuit is fixed.

Maybe it is the product of Voltage and Current which is conserved in parallel circuits? I’m struggling to work it all out in my head probably because I’m not sure what the basic rules of circuits are and how they relate to Physics I’ve encountered elsewhere. It all just seems a little bizarre and contradictory.

(UK A-Level)

In: Physics

3 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

>The number of Coulombs in a circuit is fixed.

No, the current (coulombs/sec) in a series circuit is equal everywhere in the loop. It is not necessarily fixed.

In a series circuit every device gets the same current, but has a voltage which depends on its resistance.

In a parallel circuit every device gets the same voltage, but has a current which depends on its resistance

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