Which statement correctly describes a parallel circuit's current, voltage, and resistance distribution?

Which statement correctly describes a parallel circuit's current, voltage, and resistance distribution?

• A. In a parallel circuit, the current is the same through all branches and the voltage divides while total resistance is the sum.
• B. In a parallel circuit, the voltage is the same across all branches; current divides among branches; total resistance is less than any single branch.
• C. In a parallel circuit, the current is the same as the supply and the resistance is the sum of branch resistances.
• D. In a parallel circuit, voltage adds across branches and current remains constant.

Answer: (B)

In a parallel circuit, each branch is connected directly across the same two nodes, so the voltage across every branch is the same. Ohm’s law tells us that the current through each branch is I = V/R, so with the same voltage across all branches, branches with smaller resistance draw more current and those with larger resistance draw less. The total current from the source is the sum of all branch currents, which means the overall current increases as more branches are added. Because the branches share the same voltage, the overall (equivalent) resistance of the circuit becomes smaller than any individual branch resistance. This is captured by 1/R_total = sum(1/R_i); the result is a value less than the smallest branch resistance. So the correct description is: the voltage is the same across all branches; current divides among branches; total resistance is less than any single branch. This contrasts with the other statements, which mix up how voltage, current, and resistance behave in parallel. For example, in parallel the current is not the same through every branch, and the resistance is not simply the sum of branch resistances.

In a parallel circuit, each branch is connected directly across the same two nodes, so the voltage across every branch is the same. Ohm’s law tells us that the current through each branch is I = V/R, so with the same voltage across all branches, branches with smaller resistance draw more current and those with larger resistance draw less. The total current from the source is the sum of all branch currents, which means the overall current increases as more branches are added.

Because the branches share the same voltage, the overall (equivalent) resistance of the circuit becomes smaller than any individual branch resistance. This is captured by 1/R_total = sum(1/R_i); the result is a value less than the smallest branch resistance.

So the correct description is: the voltage is the same across all branches; current divides among branches; total resistance is less than any single branch. This contrasts with the other statements, which mix up how voltage, current, and resistance behave in parallel. For example, in parallel the current is not the same through every branch, and the resistance is not simply the sum of branch resistances.