A parallel circuit with four 6-ohm resistors across a 24-volt source. What is the total current drawn from the source?

A parallel circuit with four 6-ohm resistors across a 24-volt source. What is the total current drawn from the source?

• A. 8 amps
• B. 16 amps
• C. 24 amps
• D. 4 amps

Answer: (B)

In a parallel circuit, the source voltage appears across every branch and the branch currents add up to give the total current. Each 6-ohm resistor across 24 V draws I = V/R = 24/6 = 4 A. With four identical resistors in parallel, the currents combine: 4 A + 4 A + 4 A + 4 A = 16 A. So the total current drawn from the source is 16 A. (You can also see this by using the equivalent resistance: four 6-ohm resistors in parallel give Req = 1.5 ohms, and I = V/Req = 24/1.5 = 16 A.)

In a parallel circuit, the source voltage appears across every branch and the branch currents add up to give the total current. Each 6-ohm resistor across 24 V draws I = V/R = 24/6 = 4 A. With four identical resistors in parallel, the currents combine: 4 A + 4 A + 4 A + 4 A = 16 A. So the total current drawn from the source is 16 A. (You can also see this by using the equivalent resistance: four 6-ohm resistors in parallel give Req = 1.5 ohms, and I = V/Req = 24/1.5 = 16 A.)