Series vs Parallel Wiring Explained

Series and parallel wiring are two ways of connecting electrical components, such as resistors or light bulbs, in an electrical circuit.

In series wiring, the components are connected one after another in a single path, so that the current flows through each component in turn. If one component in the series fails or is removed, the entire circuit is broken and none of the components will work.

In contrast, in parallel wiring, each component is connected separately to the power source, forming multiple paths for the current to flow through. This means that if one component fails or is removed, the other components will continue to function normally.

Application Example

To illustrate this with a simple example, imagine you have three light bulbs that you want to connect to a battery.

In series wiring, you would connect the positive end of the battery to the first light bulb, then connect the negative end of the first light bulb to the positive end of the second light bulb, and so on, until the negative end of the last light bulb is connected back to the negative end of the battery. The current would flow through each light bulb in turn, and if any one of them burns out or is removed, none of the other light bulbs would light up.

In parallel wiring, you would connect each light bulb directly to the battery, so that each one has its own separate path for the current to flow through. If one light bulb burns out or is removed, the other light bulbs would continue to function normally.

Overall, the choice between series and parallel wiring depends on the specific requirements of the circuit and the components being used.