Current, voltage, resistance, and circuit diagrams

Video lesson
Current is the rate of flow of charge
Interactive lesson
Sort materials: conductor, semiconductor, insulator
Interactive lesson
Why metals conduct: free electrons
Video lesson
Current needs a complete loop
Interactive lesson
Conventional current: drawn from + to −
Video lesson
Electrons drift opposite the drawn current
Interactive lesson
The ammeter goes in series
Interactive lesson
Voltage: the energy each coulomb transfers between two points
Interactive lesson
The source sets the voltage, not the current
Interactive lesson
The voltmeter goes across, in parallel
Interactive lesson
Resistance: how strongly a component opposes the current

Current, voltage, resistance 2: Ohm's law and the diagrams

You have met current, voltage, and resistance one at a time. This topic ties the three together with one equation, Ohm's law, and puts it to work on real numbers. Then it turns to the drawings every circuit runs on: the standard symbols, how to read a diagram, how to draw one from a description, and how to judge whether a drawn circuit is wired right.

Video lesson
More voltage, more current
Video lesson
More resistance, less current
Interactive lesson
Ohm's law: I = V/R
Interactive lesson
Calculate the current: I = V/R
Interactive lesson
Calculate the voltage: V = IR
Interactive lesson
Calculate the resistance: R = V/I
Interactive lesson
Read the circuit symbols
Video lesson
Trace the loop in a circuit diagram
Interactive lesson
Series or parallel? Read it off the diagram
Interactive lesson
Draw a circuit diagram from a description
Interactive lesson
Judge a circuit diagram's wiring

Series circuits

Interactive lesson
Series current: the same at every point
Video lesson
Why the current is the same: charge is conserved
Interactive lesson
One reading gives every ammeter
Interactive lesson
Series voltages add up to the source voltage
Interactive lesson
Why the voltages add up: energy is conserved
Interactive lesson
Find the missing voltage
Interactive lesson
Rank series components by voltage
Interactive lesson
Series resistance adds: R_total = R₁ + R₂ + …
Interactive lesson
Why series resistances add: one path
Interactive lesson
Calculate the total resistance
Video lesson
Add a series component, and the current falls
Video lesson
One break stops the whole series circuit
Interactive lesson
Solve a series circuit end to end

Parallel and combined circuits

Interactive lesson
Every branch gets the full source voltage
Interactive lesson
Why every branch gets the full voltage
Interactive lesson
Predict a branch voltmeter's reading
Interactive lesson
Branch currents add up to the supply current
Interactive lesson
Why the branch currents add up
Interactive lesson
Calculate a missing branch current
Interactive lesson
Rank parallel branches by current
Interactive lesson
Combined resistance: less than the smallest branch
Video lesson
Why more branches mean less resistance
Interactive lesson
Calculate the resistance of two parallel resistors
Interactive lesson
Predict what happens when one branch breaks
Interactive lesson
Calculate every current in a parallel circuit
Interactive lesson
Series or parallel? Classify a combined circuit
Interactive lesson
Calculate a combined circuit's equivalent resistance
Interactive lesson
Calculate the supply current of a combined circuit

Electrical power

Interactive lesson
Electrical power: P = IV
Video lesson
Calculating power from current and voltage
Interactive lesson
Why P = IV works
Interactive lesson
Calculate the current an appliance draws: I = P/V
Interactive lesson
The P = V²/R power formula
Interactive lesson
Calculate power from voltage and resistance
Interactive lesson
The P = I²R power formula
Interactive lesson
Calculate power from current and resistance
Interactive lesson
Pick the right power formula