Resistor Circuit Lab: Compare Series and Parallel
Connect two resistors in series or parallel. Compare resistance, current, voltage, and power with an ideal battery.
Free, with no sign-up.
For High school students and adults reviewing the topic.
About 8 minutes.
How does it work?
- Change a control to update the table and diagram.
- Open a preset to compare settings, then try the challenges.
What will you get?
Compare the model’s outputs, explore its presets, and check two challenges.
What does the model assume?
- The battery maintains the chosen EMF with zero internal resistance. Wires and connections have zero resistance.
- Both resistors are ohmic and keep their selected resistance at every setting. Heating does not change their values.
- The model describes a steady direct-current circuit. Charge does not accumulate at junctions, and delivered power equals total resistor power.
- Values are illustrative. The diagram is a model, not instructions for household wiring.
Which setup would you like to try?
What can you change?
Range: 0 to 24 V.
Range: 1 to 100 Ω.
Range: 1 to 100 Ω.
What does the model predict?
| Quantity | Value | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Equivalent resistance | 12.000 | Ω |
| Total current | 1.000 | A |
| First resistor current | 1.000 | A |
| Second resistor current | 1.000 | A |
| First resistor voltage | 4.000 | V |
| Second resistor voltage | 8.000 | V |
| First resistor power | 4.000 | W |
| Second resistor power | 8.000 | W |
| Total power | 12.000 | W |
Rectangles represent resistors. Lines show connections; labels give the calculated voltage and current.
Series connection: total current 1 A. The first resistor has 4 V and 1 A; the second has 8 V and 1 A.
Can you reach these targets?
Use a 12 V battery and a first resistance of 4 Ω in series. Choose the second resistance for a total current of 1 A.
- Target: Battery EMF = 12 V; tolerance 0 V.
- Target: First resistance = 4 Ω; tolerance 0 Ω.
- Target: Total current = 1 A; tolerance 0.001 A.
- Connection (Series)
Keep 12 V, 4 Ω, and 8 Ω. Choose the arrangement that dissipates 54 W.
- Target: Battery EMF = 12 V; tolerance 0 V.
- Target: First resistance = 4 Ω; tolerance 0 Ω.
- Target: Second resistance = 8 Ω; tolerance 0 Ω.
- Target: Total power = 54 W; tolerance 0.001 W.