---
title: "Circuit vocabulary"
description: "Use technical vocabulary for electrical circuits — circuit, component, cell, battery, current, voltage, resistance, conductor, insulator, switch, series circuit, parallel circuit — and apply these whe"
canonical: https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/circuit-vocabulary-mt_NzCNuABT3E
source: https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/circuit-vocabulary-mt_NzCNuABT3E.md
retrieved: 2026-10-19
---

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# Circuit vocabulary

Use technical vocabulary for electrical circuits — circuit, component, cell, battery, current, voltage, resistance, conductor, insulator, switch, series circuit, parallel circuit — and apply these when describing, drawing, and designing working circuits

Subject: Science · Area: Energy · Ages 9 to 11
Page: https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/circuit-vocabulary-mt_NzCNuABT3E

## Ready when they can

- Use 'series' and 'parallel' correctly to describe two different circuit configurations and explain the key difference
- Apply 'current', 'voltage', and 'resistance' correctly in a written description of how a circuit works
- Name at least six standard circuit components and describe what each one does

## Lesson: The vocabulary of circuits

A circuit is a closed loop that lets electricity flow around and back to where it started. Every part of that loop, like a battery, wire, switch, or bulb, is called a component.

A cell or battery stores energy and pushes charge around the circuit. That push is called voltage. The flow of charge moving through the components is called current.

Resistance is whatever slows the current down, like a thin wire or a bulb's filament. Conductors, such as metal wires, let current pass through easily. Insulators, such as plastic or rubber, block current. A switch is a component that opens or closes the path, turning the current on or off.

*(drawing: In a series circuit, every component sits on the same single loop. Break the loop anywhere and the whole circuit stops.)*

**Tip.** In a parallel circuit, components sit on separate branches that all connect back to the battery. If one branch breaks, current keeps flowing through the others.

**Recap.** Series circuits share one path; parallel circuits give current more than one path to follow.

## Practice

8 questions on this page, each with its working shown.

## Needs first

- [Building a simple circuit](https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/building-a-simple-circuit-mt_DA7-JYRvtP)

## Opens up

- [Why circuit components behave differently](https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/why-circuit-components-behave-differently-mt_-QY08-88rw)
- [Current, voltage, and what they measure](https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/current-voltage-and-what-they-measure-mt_2bnXrfS4Iq)
- [Series vs parallel circuits](https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/series-vs-parallel-circuits-mt_loEMaQ8kFA)
- [More batteries, brighter bulb](https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/more-batteries-brighter-bulb-mt_vFT_GbkP9m)