2.8 Explain why a series or parallel circuit is more appropriate for particular applications, including domestic lighting

In series, everything is connected on the same branch of wire, as can be seen in figure 1.

Figure 1

In series:

• Current is the same everywhere
• Voltage is shared
• If one component breaks, the others stop functioning
• 1 bulb supplied with 1 A will be brighter than two bulbs supplied with 1A (because current is the same!)

It is mainly useful for supplying things like fairy lights with electricity. It often means that lights connected in series are not particularly bright (they can be but that would require a lot of electricity and would be too expensive to be worth it)

In parallel, components are connected on different branches of wire, as can be seen in figure 2:

Figure 2

In parallel:

• Voltage is the same everywhere
• Current is shared
• If one component breaks, others continue working
• Bulbs tend to be brighter

This is useful for anything connected to mains electricity. This makes it practical and, when it comes to lighting, the lights are very bright. It also means that if, for example, your toaster stops working, the rest of the house will still have lighting.