In a parallel circuit, what quantity is the same across each branch and equal to the source voltage?

In a parallel circuit, what quantity is the same across each branch and equal to the source voltage?

• A. Current
• B. Resistance
• C. Potential difference
• D. Power

Answer: (C)

When branches are connected in parallel, they share the same two connection points, so the electric potential difference across every branch is identical and equals the source voltage. This happens because each branch directly spans the same nodes, fixing the voltage drop from one node to the other. The current in each branch can differ, determined by I = V/R for that branch, so branches with different resistances draw different amounts of current. The total current is the sum of the branch currents, and the branch powers can vary as P = VI = V^2/R. So the quantity that stays the same across all branches and matches the source voltage is the potential difference.

When branches are connected in parallel, they share the same two connection points, so the electric potential difference across every branch is identical and equals the source voltage. This happens because each branch directly spans the same nodes, fixing the voltage drop from one node to the other. The current in each branch can differ, determined by I = V/R for that branch, so branches with different resistances draw different amounts of current. The total current is the sum of the branch currents, and the branch powers can vary as P = VI = V^2/R. So the quantity that stays the same across all branches and matches the source voltage is the potential difference.