Resistors in Series

Figure 1 shows 3 resistors, R , R , and R , connected in series in a closed circuit powered by

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a single battery or Emf source. In this circuit the current supplied by the battery flows
through each resistor, with the current in each resistor being the same. If the current supplied
by the battery is I , the current in each resistor is I , I , and I , and they are all one and the
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same, then
. (4) T12I = I = I = I
Ohms Law III Series Parallel Resistors.DOC 3/3/08/5:33 PM

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2Ohms Law IIIResistors in Series and

VRRR2123EV1V3V1VTI1IIT2I3III

Figure 1. Three resistors R , R , and R connected in series.

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The voltage drop across the battery V will be the total sum of the individual drops across
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each of the 3 resistors, and

. (5) T12V = V + V + V
where V is the potential difference across R , V is the potential difference across R , and V
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is the potential difference across R . From Equation 2,

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, (6) TTV = I R
, (7) 11V = I R
, (8) 22V = I R
and
. (9) 33V = I R
Substituting these equations into Equation 5 gives
(10) TT112233IR = IR + IR + IR
and since I = I = I = I
T

. (11) T12R = R + R + R
Therefore, when resistors are connected in series, the total resistance is just the sum of the
individual resistances. While this has been shown for 3 resistors, the total resistance of any
number N (N2) of resistors connected in series, end to end, can be found using the same
general procedure. Therefore for resistors connected in series
Ohms Law III Series Parallel Resistors.DOC 3/3/08/5:33 PM 3Ohms Law IIIResistors in Series and
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NTi=1

R = R. (12)