Electric Circuit

Electric circuit is an arrangement to provide the necessary electrical energy for the working of the load so as to produce some useful effects like lighting an electric lamp, heating an electric iron, rotating a ceiling fan or driving an electric motor. It is an arrangement to convert electrical energy into light energy, heat energy, mechanical energy, etc. A complete electric circuit consists of a voltage source, connecting wires, load resistance, on/off switch and fuse.

Voltage Source :

A voltage source is an electrical device, which is used to produce electricity by converting some other form of energy into electrical energy. It is used to provide the necessary electrical energy for the operation of the load resistance.

Connecting Wires :

Connecting wires in an electric circuit are used to provide a path to the electric current to flow through the load resistance from the negative terminal of the voltage source to the positive terminal of the same.

Load Resistance :

Load resistance is an electrical device which consumes electrical energy to produce some useful effects like lighting a lamp, heating an electric iron, rotating a ceiling fan or driving an electric motor.

On / Off Switch :

On/off Switch is an electrical device, which is used to switch on or switch off the electric circuit. When this device is kept in the close position the electric current flows through the load resistance and when it is kept in the open position, the electric current ceases to flow through the same.

Fuse :

Fuse is an electrical device which is used as a circuit breaker to break an electrical circuit to avoid any damage due to occurrence of any short circuit. A safety fuse of rated current value is always connected in series with the main supply line to avoid any accident.

Types Of Electric Circuit :

Electric circuits are classified on the basis of electric current flowing through the circuit. They are classified as under.

1) Close Circuit.

2) Open Circuit.

3) Short Circuit.

4) Series Circuit.

5) Parallel Circuit.

6) Compound Circuit.

7) Complex Circuit.

Close Circuit :

Close circuit is an electrical circuit without any interruption which provides a continuous path for the electric current to flow through a load resistance from the positive terminal to the negative terminal of the power supply source.

Open Circuit :

Open circuit is an electrical circuit which is unable to provide a continuous path for the electric current to flow through a load resistance from the positive terminal to the negative terminal of the power supply source due to either open position of On / Off Switch, broken connecting wires, blown fuse or open load resistance.

Short Circuit :

Short circuit is an electrical circuit in which electric current directly flows from the positive terminal to the negative terminal of the power supply source instead of flowing through the load resistance due to highly conductive material like water which usually damage the circuit and stop it from working properly.

Series Circuit :

Series circuit is an electrical circuit arrangement in which different load resistances are connected one after another in such a way that they get connected to a common path of electric current to get the same amount of electric current to flow through each resistor.

Parallel Circuit :

Parallel circuit is an electrical circuit arrangement in which different load resistance are connected in such a way that one terminal of each load resistance is connected to the positive pole and another terminal of the same is connected to the negative pole of the common power supply source so as to get the electric current according to the requirement of each load resistance.

Compound Circuit :

Compound circuit is an electrical circuit arrangement in which different resistors are connected in series as well as parallel to a common power supply source.

Complex Circuit :

Complex circuit is an electrical circuit arrangement in which more than one power supply source is used to provide current to flow through each resistor connected in series and parallel combination.

Mock Test On Electric Circuit