parallel circuit
What parallel circuit means in Physics GCSE, as defined for AQA, OCR.
Definitions of parallel circuit
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Reference: OCR
A circuit in which the potential difference across each branch equals the supply value, the branch currents add to give the total current, and the combined resistance is less than the smallest branch resistance.
A circuit in which a break in one branch does not stop current flowing in other intact branches.
A circuit in which the current divides into two or more paths before recombining to complete the circuit.
Topics that use parallel circuit
- Electrical charge and current (AQA GCSE)
- Series and parallel circuits (OCR GCSE)
- Simple circuits (OCR GCSE)
Related terms
- Current
- potential difference
- Resistance
- series circuit
- Standard circuit symbols
- Cell polarity conventions
- closed circuit
- constant resistance
Using parallel circuit in the exam
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