In a series circuit, the current through each component is

In a series circuit, the current through each component is

• A. Varies with component
• B. The same
• C. Increases with number of components
• D. Depends on the branch resistance

Answer: (B)

In a series circuit, the same current flows through every component because there’s only one path for charge to follow. The current is the rate at which charge moves, so it must be the same amount passing through each element in sequence. While the current is constant, the voltage drop across each component can differ and is set by V = IR for that component. The total source voltage is the sum of all these voltage drops, and adding more components increases the total resistance, which lowers the overall current according to I = V / R_total. This is why the current is the same through all components in series, independent of how large each individual resistance is.

In a series circuit, the same current flows through every component because there’s only one path for charge to follow. The current is the rate at which charge moves, so it must be the same amount passing through each element in sequence. While the current is constant, the voltage drop across each component can differ and is set by V = IR for that component. The total source voltage is the sum of all these voltage drops, and adding more components increases the total resistance, which lowers the overall current according to I = V / R_total. This is why the current is the same through all components in series, independent of how large each individual resistance is.