In a series circuit, how many paths are there for current flow?

In a series circuit, how many paths are there for current flow?

• A. One
• B. Two
• C. Three
• D. Four

Answer: (A)

In a series circuit, there is a single path for current to take. The components are connected end-to-end in a loop, so the current that leaves the source flows through each component in turn without splitting. Because there’s only one path, the current is the same through every element, and a break anywhere stops the entire current flow. If there were multiple paths for current to flow, that would indicate a parallel arrangement, not series. So the number of paths for current flow is one.

In a series circuit, there is a single path for current to take. The components are connected end-to-end in a loop, so the current that leaves the source flows through each component in turn without splitting. Because there’s only one path, the current is the same through every element, and a break anywhere stops the entire current flow. If there were multiple paths for current to flow, that would indicate a parallel arrangement, not series. So the number of paths for current flow is one.