Simple Electric Circuit Simulation showing Potential difference in a series circuit
POTENTIAL DIFFERENCE IN A SERIES CIRCUIT
A 12V battery drives current through two resistors connected in series. Each resistor creates a voltage drop — a reduction in electrical potential energy as charge flows through it. The two voltmeters show exactly how the supply voltage is shared between R1 and R2. The energy level bar on the left makes this visible: electrons start at high potential, step down across R1, step down again across R2, and return to zero.
The key principle: In a series circuit, the potential differences across each component always add up to the supply voltage — V = V₁ + V₂.
Try this with students:
- Equal resistors — set R1 = R2. Both voltmeters read the same. Voltage splits equally. Ask: why does a bigger resistor get a bigger share of the voltage?
- Make R1 much larger than R2 — watch V₁ shoot up and V₂ drop. The formula box confirms V₁ + V₂ always equals the supply.
- Change the supply voltage — R1 and R2 unchanged, but both readings scale up together. Current changes, voltage shares stay proportional.
- Predict before you slide — give students V, R1 and R2. Ask them to calculate V₁ = V × R1/(R1+R2) first, then verify on screen.