# A student sets up a series circuit containing a battery, two resistors and an ammeter. The student then sets up a parallel circuit using the same battery and the same two resistors, with a voltmeter connected across one of the resistors. Explain the differences the student would observe in the ammeter readings and the voltmeter readings between the two circuits.

> WJEC A-Level Physics (Wales) — 2.2 DC circuits · Explain · 5 marks

> In a series circuit, the same current flows through every component. In a parallel circuit, the current from the battery splits between the branches. The voltage supplied by the battery is shared between components in series and is the same across each branch in parallel.

## Mark scheme (5 marks)

1. The ammeter reading is higher in the parallel circuit than in the series circuit
2. In a parallel circuit the total resistance is lower (than the resistance of either resistor alone / than in series), so more current is drawn from the battery
3. In the series circuit the voltage is shared / split between the two resistors
4. In the parallel circuit the voltmeter reads the full battery voltage (across the resistor)
5. Therefore the voltmeter reading is higher in the parallel circuit than it would be across one resistor in the series circuit

## Key terms

- [series circuit](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/glossary/series-circuit)
- [parallel circuit](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/glossary/parallel-circuit)
- [ammeter](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/glossary/ammeter)
- [voltmeter](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/glossary/voltmeter)

## Related

- [Revision notes for WJEC A-Level Physics (Wales)](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/learn)
- [How to answer "Explain" questions](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/tools/command-word-cheatsheet)
- [Practice this with AI marking (free)](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/start)

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Source: [GradeNine](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/q/a-student-sets-up-a-series-7fb299dd) · Published by Druglandscape Ltd.