Question

How do you calculate the total resistance of a series circuit?

a) Sum of the reciprocals of individual resistances
b) Product of individual resistances
c) Difference between individual resistances
d) Square root of the sum of squares of individual resistances

Answer 1

To calculate the total resistance of a series circuit, sum up the individual resistances of all resistors in the series.

Step-by-step explanation:

To calculate the total resistance of a series circuit, you add up all the individual resistances of the resistors in the circuit. For example, if you have three resistors in series with resistances of R₁, R₂, and R₃, the total resistance (Rs) is calculated as Rs = R₁ + R₂ + R₃. If the resistances were 1.00 Ω, 6.00 Ω, and 13.0 Ω respectively, the total resistance would be Rs = 1.00 Ω + 6.00 Ω + 13.0 Ω, which equals 20.0 Ω.

Each resistor in a series circuit has the same amount of current flowing through it, although the voltage drop across each can differ. This is important for understanding how various components in the circuit affect overall performance, including power dissipation and appliance operation.