1.
Introduction (0:00 – 2:00)
🎙️Voiceover:
Hi everyone!
Today we’ll start with one of the most important basics in electrical engineering — Simple
Resistive Circuits.
You already know Ohm’s Law,
V = IR.
That’s for a single resistor.
But real circuits have many resistors connected together.
So, how do we find total resistance, voltage, or current in those circuits?
That’s what this video is about.
By the end, you’ll know how to analyze almost any resistive circuit using just a few simple tools.
2. Series and Parallel Connections (2:00 – 6:00)
Series Connection
Voiceover:
Let’s start with resistors in series.
In a series circuit, resistors are connected end to end — one path for current.
That means the same current flows through all resistors.
But the voltage divides among them.
Think of it like a one-lane road with several toll booths — every car has to pass through all of
them.
The formula for series connection goes something like this-
Formula:
Req = R1 + R2 + R3
Example 1: Series Connection
Now let’s look at this series circuit example.
From the diagram, we can see that all the resistors are connected one after another, forming only one
path for current.
Because there is only one path, the same current flows through every resistor in the circuit.
So, in a series circuit, finding total resistance is very simple. We just add all the resistances together.
To find the total equivalent resistance, Req we simply add up the values of all the individual
resistors: R one, R two, R three and R four.
Rt = R1 + R2 + R3 + R4
From the diagram:
- R1 is 20 ohms
- R2 is 220 ohms
- R3 is 1.2 kilo-ohms
- R4 is 5.6 kilo-ohms
After adding all these values, the total resistance of the circuit is 7.04 kilo-ohms.
So this example shows that in a series circuit, adding more resistors increases the total resistance.
Now that we’ve seen what happens when resistors are connected in a single path, let’s look at what
happens when we give current multiple paths.
Parallel Connection
Voiceover:
Let’s look at parallel connections.
Here, resistors share the same two nodes, so the voltage across each is the same.
But the current splits among the branches.
Think of it like a highway with multiple lanes — more lanes mean easier flow, so the total
resistance goes down.
The formula for parallel circuits is different. The reciprocal of the total resistance equals the sum
of the reciprocals of each resistor.
Formula:
1 1
Req = ¿ + R 2 + R1 )
−1
Example 2: Parallel Connection
Let’s take a look at this example for better understanding.
In this diagram, both resistors are connected across the same two points. This means the voltage across
each resistor is the same, but the current splits into different paths. You can think of this like a road with
multiple lanes where traffic is divided.
To solve this example, we first use conductance, which is the inverse of resistance.
1
G= R
For the first resistor:
- Resistance is 3 ohms so we get a Conductance of 0.333 siemens
And for the second resistor:
- Resistance is 6 ohms hence we get a Conductance of 0.167 siemens
In a parallel circuit, conductance add together.
So,the total conductance is 0.5 siemens.
To find the total resistance, we first add the conductances of the resistors. Since conductance is
the inverse of resistance, we take the reciprocal of each resistor and add them together. This
gives us a total conductance of zero point five siemens. Finally, we take the inverse of that value
to get the total resistance, which comes out to two ohms.
1
Rt = 0.5 S = 2 ohms
So remember: series circuits increase resistance, while parallel circuits reduce it. These two ideas form
the foundation of circuit analysis.
And that’s all for today. Thanks for watching — see you next time.