Completing the Circuit

What is the difference between a series and parallel circuit?

( A circuit is the path that electricity follows. )

All of the electricity
follows path #1

SERIES CIRCUIT: In a series circuit, the parts of the circuit (such as the battery, a switch, and the electric device) are connected one after another (in series) in a single closed loop. A series circuit allows electrons to follow only one path. The loads in a series circuit must share the available voltage. In other words, each load in a series circuit will use up some portion of the voltage, leaving less for the next load in the circuit. This means that the light, heat, or sound given off by the device will be reduced. If one device (e.g. bulb) in series burns out, the circuit is broken and there is no other path for the flow of charges therefore the other devices no longer work.

Some current follows path #1,
while the remainder splits
off from #1 and follows path #2

PARALLEL CIRCUIT: In parallel circuits, all the devices share a common connection to the voltage source. Different devices are on separate "parallel" branches. In parallel circuits, the electric current can follow more than one path to return to the source, so it splits up among all the available paths. Across all the paths in a parallel circuit the voltage is the same, so each device will produce its full output. There are different paths for currents such that a break in the flow of charges in one path does not interrupt the flow along other paths.

 

“To give an analogy of each circuit, in a series circuit, a postman has something to deliver to only one house; and in a parallel circuit, the postman has things to deliver to two houses. In a series circuit, if a part of the route gets destroyed, the postman cannot deliver whatever has to be delivered; in a parallel circuit, if one route becomes impassable for whatever reason, the postman can still reach one house.” - EC

Check out this awesome video on this topic.