# A student sets up a series circuit containing a battery, a lamp, and a resistor. She then sets up a second circuit where the same lamp and resistor are connected in parallel with each other, and the parallel combination is connected to the same battery. Explain how the current and voltage behave differently in the series circuit compared to the parallel circuit. > Eduqas A-Level Physics — 2.2 DC circuits · Explain · 5 marks > In a series circuit the components are connected one after another in a single loop. In a parallel circuit the components are connected across separate branches, each connected directly to the battery. ## Mark scheme (5 marks) 1. In a series circuit the current is the same through every component (lamp and resistor have the same current). 2. In a parallel circuit the current from the battery splits between the branches, so the lamp and resistor carry different (or smaller) currents. 3. In a series circuit the battery voltage is shared (divided) between the lamp and the resistor. 4. In a parallel circuit each branch has the same voltage across it, equal to the battery voltage (both lamp and resistor have the full battery voltage across them). 5. Because each parallel branch receives the full battery voltage (whereas the series components share a lower voltage), the lamp is brighter in the parallel circuit than 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) - [current](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/glossary/current) - [voltage](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/glossary/voltage) ## Related - [Revision notes for Eduqas A-Level Physics](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) --- Source: [GradeNine](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/q/a-student-sets-up-a-series-f4994c36) · Published by Druglandscape Ltd.