Current in a Series Circuit:
The overall current in a series circuit is no different than the current in an individual resistor. That is, the current in the battery is the same as the current in resistor 1 or resistor 2 or resistor 3 or ... . Since there are no branching locations, current is never divided and is everywhere the same. The amount of current is related to the voltage (∆Vtot) impressed across the circuit by the battery and the overall equivalent resistance (Req). In equation form, these ideas can be written as
Itot= I1= I2= I3= ∆Vtot/ Req
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