What happens to the total current in a series circuit when more bulbs are added, with a constant supply voltage?

What happens to the total current in a series circuit when more bulbs are added, with a constant supply voltage?

• A. Current increases
• B. Current decreases
• C. Current stays the same
• D. Current fluctuates wildly

Answer: (B)

In a series circuit, the same current flows through every component, and that current is determined by the total resistance and the supply voltage (I = V / R_total). Adding another bulb increases the total resistance, while the supply voltage stays fixed. Because the denominator in V = IR gets larger, the current I must decrease. So, as you add more bulbs, the overall current in the circuit goes down. This also explains why each bulb tends to glow dimmer with more bulbs in series. The current won’t increase, stay the same, or fluctuate wildly in a simple DC series setup.

In a series circuit, the same current flows through every component, and that current is determined by the total resistance and the supply voltage (I = V / R_total). Adding another bulb increases the total resistance, while the supply voltage stays fixed. Because the denominator in V = IR gets larger, the current I must decrease. So, as you add more bulbs, the overall current in the circuit goes down. This also explains why each bulb tends to glow dimmer with more bulbs in series. The current won’t increase, stay the same, or fluctuate wildly in a simple DC series setup.