Filename: Series Parallel Circuit

Electricity and Magnetism

Name: Series Parallel Circuit: Brightness of bulbs,

Location:  L314

Equipment:  Series Parallel Light bulb circuit board

Procedure: Two light bulbs are connected in series and observe the brightness. (Picture 1).  Ask the question, what happens to the brightness of the top bulb (Bulb 1) and the bottom bulb (Bulb 2) if a similar light bulb (Bulb 3) is placed in parallel to Bulb 2?

How will the brightness of Bulb 3 compare to the brightness of Bulbs 1 and 2?  (Bulb 1 gets brighter, total current increases. Bulb 2 gets dimmer because more voltage is now across Bulb 1.  Bulb 2 and Bulb 3 have the same brightness because they are similar bulbs and are in parallel with each other.)

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