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Circuits A electric circuit provides a complete, closed path for an electric current. What does that mean? It means that an electric current can flow through the circuit from the source of electricity, through a load, and back to the source of electricity. The are many different parts of a circuit, including a switch, a wire, a source of electricity (like a battery or a wall socket), and a load (the appliance or thing you want to get to work). If a switch is closed or 'on' and lets the current flow through it, making the load work, that circuit is called a closed circuit. If a switch is open or 'off,' no current can pass through the wires. This type of circuit is called an open circuit. There are two main types of circuits. One type is called a series circuit, where all the parts on the electric circuit are one after another. In other words, if one load goes out, they all will. Another type of circuit is called a parallel circuit, where all of the different parts of an electric circuit are on separate branches. If one load doesn't work, the rest of them still will go on. |
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