Series & Parallel

This interactive simulator explores Series & Parallel in Electricity & Magnetism. Compare total resistance and current distribution side by side. Use the controls to change the scenario; watch the visualization and any graphs or readouts to connect the model with lectures, labs, and homework.

Who it's for: Best once you already know the basic definitions and want to build intuition. Typical context: Electricity & Magnetism.

Key terms

  • series
  • parallel
  • series parallel
  • electricity
  • magnetism

How it works

Compare equivalent resistance and currents for the same two resistors: in series they add (larger R, smaller current); in parallel the equivalent resistance is smaller than either branch, so the battery supplies more total current while each branch sees the full voltage V.

Key equations

R_s = R₁ + R₂,   I_s = V / R_s
1/R_p = 1/R₁ + 1/R₂,   I_tot = V/R_p,   I₁ = V/R₁,   I₂ = V/R₂