What Is a Parallel Electrical Circuit?

A parallel circuit means that electrical charges, or, current flowing through the circuit can take any of multiple paths. If one of the paths is broken, current will still continue to flow through the others, such as when a toaster is turned off but the refrigerator stays on.

Current

The current that flows through each part of a circuit depends on the resistance of the wire or components in that part to the flow of electricity. For this reason, the current that flows through each branch of a parallel circuit may not not be the same as in other branches.

Resistance

The fact that current can flow through multiple paths in a parallel circuit means that the resistance of the circuit overall is lower. Bulbs connected in parallel will burn brighter than the same number of bulbs connected in series for this reason.

Uses

Parallel circuits are used in many applications, such as household electrical wiring and the hazard lights of motor vehicles, in which the failure of one branch of circuitry or component cannot be allowed to affect others.

References

• Regents Exam Prep Center: Parallel Circuit
• The Physics Classroom: Circuit Connections
• Try Engineering: Series and Parallel Circuit
• Physics Tutorial: Parallel Circuits and Hazard Lights