Sarjakytkentäinen

Sarjakytkentäinen is a Finnish term that translates to "series-connected" or "connected in series" in English. It describes a configuration where electrical components, such as resistors, capacitors, inductors, or even sources of power like batteries, are linked together in a chain. In a series connection, the current flows through each component sequentially. This means that the same current passes through every element in the circuit.

The key characteristic of a sarjakytkentäinen arrangement is that the total resistance, capacitance, or inductance is determined by the sum of the individual components. For resistors, the total resistance is the sum of their individual resistances (R_total = R1 + R2 + ...). For capacitors, the reciprocal of the total capacitance is the sum of the reciprocals of individual capacitances (1/C_total = 1/C1 + 1/C2 + ...). For inductors, the total inductance is the sum of their individual inductances (L_total = L1 + L2 + ...).

In a sarjakytkentäinen circuit, if one component fails or is removed, the entire circuit is broken, and current will no longer flow. This is a significant difference from a parallel connection (rinnankytkentäinen), where each component is connected across the same voltage source, and the failure of one component does not necessarily affect the others. Sarjakytkentäinen configurations are common in various electronic applications, including simple lighting circuits, battery packs, and certain sensor arrangements, where a specific sequence of operations or a predictable total value is required.