What’s different about a parallel circuit vs a series circuit?

What’s different about a parallel circuit vs a series circuit?

• A. In parallel, current stays the same while voltage varies across branches
• B. In a parallel circuit, voltage stays the same across all branches while current changes
• C. In parallel circuits, both voltage and current are the same in all branches
• D. There is no current flow in parallel circuits

Answer: (B)

In a parallel path, the voltage across each branch is the same because each branch is directly connected across the same voltage source. The current, however, is not fixed across branches; it splits according to each branch’s resistance. A branch with lower resistance draws more current, while a higher-resistance branch draws less. The total current drawn from the source is the sum of the currents in all branches. This is the best description because it captures the key behavior of parallel circuits: identical voltage across branches, variable currents that depend on branch resistance, and a total current that adds up from each path. The other statements mix up these relationships or describe conditions that don’t apply to parallel circuits, such as current being the same in every branch or having no current flow.

In a parallel path, the voltage across each branch is the same because each branch is directly connected across the same voltage source. The current, however, is not fixed across branches; it splits according to each branch’s resistance. A branch with lower resistance draws more current, while a higher-resistance branch draws less. The total current drawn from the source is the sum of the currents in all branches.

This is the best description because it captures the key behavior of parallel circuits: identical voltage across branches, variable currents that depend on branch resistance, and a total current that adds up from each path. The other statements mix up these relationships or describe conditions that don’t apply to parallel circuits, such as current being the same in every branch or having no current flow.