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An electric circuit is a path or loop through which an electric current can flow. It typically consists of a power source, such as a battery, and one or more conductors, such as wires, that connect the power source to various components, such as light bulbs or motors.
Ohm's law states that the voltage (V) across a conductor is equal to the product of the current (I) and the resistance (R) of the conductor. This relationship is expressed as V = IR. In electric circuit problems, Ohm's law is used to calculate the voltage, current, or resistance of a component, given values for the other two variables.
In a series circuit, the total resistance is equal to the sum of the individual resistances of each component. In other words, Rtotal = R1 + R2 + R3 + ...
In a series circuit, all components are connected in a single loop, so the current is the same at all points in the circuit. In a parallel circuit, the components are connected in multiple branches, so the current is split between different paths. Additionally, the total resistance in a series circuit increases as more components are added, while the total resistance in a parallel circuit decreases.
The power (P) dissipated by a circuit component is equal to the product of the voltage (V) across the component and the current (I) flowing through it. This relationship is expressed as P = VI. In some cases, the power dissipated can also be calculated using P = I2R or P = V2/R, where R is the resistance of the component.
