This interactive simulation helps students compare what happens in series and parallel circuits using two bulbs and a 6 V battery. Learners can switch between series and parallel configurations, adjust the resistance of each bulb, and see how this affects the current, voltage and brightness of the bulbs. By dragging the ammeter (A) into the circuit, they can measure the current through a chosen bulb, and by placing the voltmeter (V) across a bulb, they can measure the potential difference across it. The changing brightness of each bulb represents the power it dissipates, allowing students to visualise ideas such as: in a series circuit the current is the same through all components but the voltage is shared, while in a parallel circuit the voltage across each branch is the same but the currents can be different.
Simulation for Circuit
Drag the ammeter (A) or voltmeter (V) onto a bulb to attach.
Ammeter measures current inline; voltmeter measures voltage across the bulb.