What are the characteristics of current in parallel circuits?

In parallel circuits, the total current is divided among the various branches according to their resistance.

In a parallel circuit, the current has multiple paths to follow. Each path is called a branch and the current will divide among these branches. The way the current divides depends on the resistance of each branch. A branch with lower resistance will have a higher current, while a branch with higher resistance will have a lower current. This is because current prefers to flow through paths of least resistance.

The total current in the circuit is the sum of the currents in each branch. This is known as Kirchhoff's Current Law, which states that the total current entering a junction must equal the total current leaving the junction. This means that if you were to measure the current at different points in a parallel circuit, you would find that it changes, depending on how many branches the current has split into at that point.

In addition, if one branch in a parallel circuit is disconnected or fails, the current in the other branches will not be affected. This is a key advantage of parallel circuits and why they are commonly used in household wiring. For example, if a light bulb in a parallel circuit fails, the other light bulbs in the circuit will continue to shine brightly.

Finally, it's important to note that the voltage across each branch in a parallel circuit is the same. This is because each branch is directly connected to the power source. Therefore, the current in each branch is determined by the resistance of the branch and the voltage of the power source, according to Ohm's Law (Current = Voltage / Resistance).