Formula: Parallel Circuit of Resistors Electric current    Individual currents

Formula: Parallel Circuit of Resistors
Parallel connection of three resistors

Electric current

Unit
Total current flowing through the main wire of a series circuit of resistors. The total current is the sum of the individual currents.

The following currents flow through three resistors connected in parallel: \(\class{red}{I_1} = 2 \, \mathrm{A} \), \(\class{red}{I_2} = 5 \, \mathrm{A} \), and \(\class{red}{I_3} = 1 \, \mathrm{A} \). Then the total current is given by: \begin{align} \class{red}{I} &~=~ 2 \, \mathrm{A} ~+~ 5 \, \mathrm{A} ~+~ 1 \, \mathrm{A} \\ &~=~ 8 \, \mathrm{A} \end{align}

Individual currents

Unit
  • \(\class{red}{I_1}\) is the current flowing through the first resistor.
  • \( \class{red}{I_2}\) is the current flowing through the second resistor.
  • \( \class{red}{I_3}\) is the current flowing through the third resistor.
  • And so on...

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