🔍 Key Concepts

• Parallel circuits vs. series circuits – how components are connected affects what is shared • How voltage and current behave at junctions and branches • The definition of impedance and resistance in AC and DC circuits

💭 Think About

• When multiple components are connected in parallel between the same two nodes, which electrical quantity must be identical at those two nodes? • In a parallel circuit, does each branch necessarily carry the same current, or can currents differ depending on each branch’s resistance/impedance? • Think about how Ohm’s Law (V = I × R) applies to each branch in a parallel connection: which quantity is fixed for all branches and which can vary?

✅ Before You Answer

• Confirm what is shared at common connection points (nodes) in a parallel circuit • Verify whether current splits or stays the same at a junction • Check if impedance or resistance must be the same for every component in parallel, or if they can be different while the defining shared quantity stays the same