Topics ยท Systems: Electrical Circuits ยท Explorer
Circuit Explorer
Switch it on, add bulbs and batteries, and swap between series and parallel. Tap a bulb to blow it. Then try the challenge: predict what happens before you see it.
โก Circuit Explorer
The switch is open. There is a gap in the circuit, so no electricity can flow.
Each lit bulbOff
Normal = one bulb on one battery. Tap a bulb to blow it.
๐ก Bulbs
2 bulbs
๐ Batteries
1 battery
In a row: pushes add up.
๐ง Predict, then try
6 questions like the ones in exam papers. Guess first โ then watch the circuit show you.
What to notice
- More bulbs in series โ each bulb dimmerSeries bulbs share one path, so they share the push from the batteries.
- More bulbs in parallel โ each bulb the sameEach branch gets the full push. Parallel bulbs are not brighter than one bulb alone โ just as bright.
- One bulb blows in series โ all go outThe blown bulb is a gap in the only path. In parallel, the other branches stay lit.
- Batteries in series โ brighter; in parallel โ same, but longerBatteries in a row add their pushes. Side by side they push like one battery but last longer.
Ready to build your own, with as many bulbs, batteries and switches as you like? Circuit Builder โ
The full explanation, with the mistakes papers try to catch: Electrical circuits: series and parallel โ