Question

Flow of Current

Question 1
The voltage in each path is the same. There is more than one path for electrons to reach resistors. The total current in a circuit will increase when a path is added.
These statements describe what type of circuit?
Responses
A closed
B open
C parallel
D series

Question 2
Compare the two circuit diagrams in question #1. If one of the resistors is turned off (a light bulb goes out), what happens to the other resistors (light bulbs) in both situations? Responses
A In both cases, all of the other bulbs go out as well.
B In both cases, all of the other bulbs will stay lit and be brighter.
C In the series circuit, all of the other bulbs will go out; in parallel, the rest remain lit.
D In the series circuit, the remaining bucks stay lit and get brighter; in parallel, they all go out.

Answer 1

Those statements describe a parallel circuit, where voltage is consistent across each path, and adding a path increases total current. In a parallel circuit, the remaining bulbs stay lit if one goes out, unlike in a series circuit, where all bulbs would go out.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statements provided describe characteristics of a parallel circuit. In a parallel circuit, the voltage across each resistor is the same because they are all directly connected to the voltage source. Also, because there are multiple paths for current to flow, the total circuit current will increase with the addition of more paths. When one resistor fails, such as a light bulb going out, it does not affect the others—each path operates independently.

Comparing the situation in both series and parallel circuits, if one resistor (light bulb) goes out, it will have different consequences based on the circuit type:

• In a series circuit, all other bulbs will go out because there is only one path for the current, and if one component fails, it interrupts that path.
• In a parallel circuit, the other bulbs will remain lit because each bulb has its own independent path to the voltage source.