In a parallel circuit, how does the total current relate to the branch currents?

In a parallel circuit, how does the total current relate to the branch currents?

• A. The total current equals the branch current.
• B. The total current is half the sum.
• C. The total current is the product of branch currents.
• D. The total current equals the sum of the branch currents.

Answer: (D)

In a parallel circuit, the current from the source splits among the parallel paths and then recombines at the other node. The total current is the sum of the currents in each branch, because at the junction the currents must add up to the amount supplied by the source (Kirchhoff’s current law). If the branch currents are I1, I2, and I3, the total current is I = I1 + I2 + I3. The voltage across each branch is the same, but that doesn’t change how the currents add together. This is why the total current equals the sum of the branch currents. The other options don’t fit because they imply relationships that don’t reflect how currents combine in parallel.

In a parallel circuit, the current from the source splits among the parallel paths and then recombines at the other node. The total current is the sum of the currents in each branch, because at the junction the currents must add up to the amount supplied by the source (Kirchhoff’s current law). If the branch currents are I1, I2, and I3, the total current is I = I1 + I2 + I3. The voltage across each branch is the same, but that doesn’t change how the currents add together. This is why the total current equals the sum of the branch currents. The other options don’t fit because they imply relationships that don’t reflect how currents combine in parallel.