Are Series, Parallel, NO, NC, Master Slave, Interlock the Six Main Circuit Types?

Quick questions about electromechanical circuits. Please correct me if I am wrong. There are total of six different circuits and those are series, parallel, NO (normally open), NC (normally closed), Master Slave, and Interlock. Am I right?

Christopher, not sure where you got this from, or what it is in connection with.  It sounds like it may be something to do with PLCs?   I'll approach this from the point of view of switch or relay contacts.....SERIES - if switch or relay contacts are in series it means that ALL the switches must be closed to allow current to pass.  Logically this is equivalent to the AND function.   For instance you might have a movement sensor and a light/dark sensor in series.  If both of them are on - ie it detects movement AND it is dark, it will switch a light on.PARALLEL - if you put switch or relay contacts in parallel then if ANY one of them is on or operated then current will pass.  You can see this  sometimes in stairwells - there is a switch at the top and a switch at the bottom and if either is operated it will turn the stair lights on. (they'd normally be timer switches here to save electricity.)Actually almost any electrical components (resistors, capacitors, transistors etc) can be in series or parallel.NO / NC - this refers to switch or relay contacts with the switch in the "Off" position or the relay not operated.  A Normally Open (NO) contact will be open circuit here, and will close when the switch / relay is operated.  A Normally Closed (NC) contact will be closed but will open when the switch / relay operates.  Master / Slave - usually a slave circuit can do nothing until the master circuit tell it to.  For example, you can get Master/slave power boards.  You plug your PC into the master socket.  When it detects current in the master circuit it will turn on other (slave) sockets which you can use for your speakers, printer etc, so you don't have to switch them on and off individually.  Industrial machines may have a master off switch which completely rem oves power in an emergency.Interlock - this is a circuit that stops everything working until a condition is satisfied.  For example, a microwave oven has a door interlock that stops the microwave working unless the door is close (so there's no chance of cooking your hand).  Industrial machines may have a n interlock which prevents them working until a safety cover is in placeI've never heard of these 6 circuits being lumped together like this but there's no reason they shouldn't be, especially in regards to something like a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller).  Let us know more about where you got this from and I can maybe comment further/

Switches at top and bottom of stairwells are usually not parallel but 3-way (this term may be incorrect). In the 3-way connection of two switches, both switches are SPDT (single-pole, double-throw). An SPDT switch has three connections: C (common), NO (normally-open), and NC (normally closed). Actuating the switch, switches C between NO and NC. For 3-way connection of two SPDT switches, each switch's NO contact connect to the other switch's NC contact. The two switches' C contacts connect in series with the light. Actuating either switch turns an off light on or turns an on light off. Thus, you can turn the light on at the bottom of the stairs, go up the stairs, and turn the light off at the top of the stairs. This two-SPDT-switch 3-way connection is equivalent to the XOR (exclusive-OR) function.Extra-credit problem: How would you add a third switch to get the three-input XOR function?

Hello Peter...I was wondering if anyone would pick me out about that!  The switches I was referring to are those push button switches with a spring-loaded pneumatic release that stay on for a minute or two.  You can connect these in parallel at the top and bottom of a staircase and whichever way you approach it you can get the stairwell lights on for enough time to traverse the staircase safely.I can't post a diagram but the 3-switch problem needs a crossover switch between the two SPDT switches.    In Australia you have to specify a special switch type for this, but you can get them.Can you comment on Christoper's lumping of these 6 types of circuit together?