Understanding Closed Circuits: A Basic Guide

We use closed circuits in our day-to-day activities and operations. Such uses include LED displays, vehicles, CNC machines, and electronic devices. LED technology in particular, has revolutionized how we use closed circuits in modern electronics.

In this article, we are going to break down closed circuits and give a basic guide on how they work to power our devices.

What Is a Closed Circuit?

A closed circuit is a circuit that has no interruptions, enabling electricity current to flow continuously throughout the conductors to supply energy.

The uninterrupted flow of electricity is vital in powering our devices efficiently.

Related: Application of RC circuit in PCB board

Components of a Closed Circuit

A closed circuit requires a number of items to bring the circuit to perfect completion. These items are; power source, conductors, a load and a switch.

Each item in the circuit plays a crucial role towards the continuous flow of the current. Here is what they are and what they do.

Conductor

Conductors are basically connectors. These are the wires or traces that connect the other items and through where electric current flows.

They define the path of electric flow and join one item to the next to complete the closed circuit.

Source of electrical energy

This is the powerhouse of the closed circuit. A source of electrical energy may be a battery or a power supply. Energy currents are drawn from the powerhouse and flow all throughout the circuit to power the device requiring it.

Load

A load is the main thing being powered by the whole circuit. A load can be a light bulb, a motor, or a device that requires power to run.

A load is usually at the center of the circuit such that power flows from other components of the circuit to the load, through it and back to other components, creating a perfect circular flow.

In the case of modern electronics, LED displays can act as the load, receiving the necessary power to illuminate.

Switch

A switch is also one of the components of a closed circuit. It is the one that can be used to control the flow. It can either break or restore the closed circuit.

The Law of Conservation of Energy

The law of conservation of energy asserts that energy cannot be created or eliminated; it merely exists in various forms. Its existence or nonexistence cannot be altered by anyone.

However, it can be converted from one form to another.

The conservation of energy is a principle of physics. According to it, the energy of interacting bodies or particles remain the same if they are in a close system. In such a system, the energy remains the same.

This means that if one part of the system loses energy, another part of it gains an equal amount of energy, such that an equality is maintained at all times inside the system.

Types of Closed Circuits

There are three types of closed circuits. These are series circuits, parallel circuits, and combination circuits.

Let us look at their mode of operation below.

Series circuits

These circuits are ones where all the components of the circuit are arranged in a single path. Here, although the amount of current is the same, the voltage drops across each component.

In the series circuit, all components are connected end to form a single path for current to flow.

LEDs in series, for example, receive the same current, making them ideal for consistent lighting in simple devices.

Parallel Circuits

These ones circuits are, as the name suggests, parallel. This circuit has two or more paths through which current flows. The electricity flow is divided between each path according to the resistance along each path.

Here, all components share the same electric nodes.

The voltage is the same across all parallel components. This occurs because a parallel circuit contains only two electrically common points, which guarantees that the voltage measured between these points stays uniform.

The total current is the sum of all individual path currents.

This setup is commonly used in larger LED displays, where even illumination is critical.

Combination Circuits

The combination circuit has a combination of series and parallel paths for the electricity current to flow. It has properties that are a mix of both circuits mentioned above.

The workflow of a combination circuit is a digital logic circuit where instantaneous output depends on the combination of its inputs.

Applications of Closed Circuits

As we mentioned earlier, closed circuits use is applied in our day to day life. Some of these applications are lighting, heating and mechanical use.

A closed circuit transforms electrical energy into other forms.

LED displays, for instance, are a common application today used in everything. It can be used in outdoor advertising media, automotive headlamps, medical devices and camera flashes.

Many electronic devices rely on 7-segment displays to turn digital signals into an easily readable format for users.

In practice, the segments of a common anode display light up when switches are used. When a switch is turned on, current passes through the LED segment to the resistor that limits the current, connects to the load, and reaches 0 volts, completing the circuit.

Then the load segment a will be illuminated.

Troubleshooting Closed Circuits

Now, since these circuits are manmade, they sometimes tend to be erroneous. If such an instance occurs, you can easily troubleshoot and restore the circuit in several systemic steps.

First, gather information on the closed circuit, earning as much as possible about it for ease in fixing the issue. Then, understand the malfunction. Find out why the circuit broke without your prompt.

Then, understand what parameters need to be evaluated. As part of gathering information, this is also a crucial step towards fixing the problem. Thereafter, identify the source of the problem. Then, correct and repair the component.

By this point, you would already know what cause the breakdown and fix it.

You can then verify the repair. Run a test on the circuit to see if you repaired it correctly. Finally, perform the root cause analysis. This will help you ascertain that your troubleshooting process was successful and even prevent further damage.

Conclusion

After breaking down and understanding how circuits work, we now know their applications in our life and how often we encounter their use.

Whether it’s lighting a room or powering a bright LED display, closed circuits play an important role in making modern life possible.