How does increasing resistance affect the current in a circuit?

How does increasing resistance affect the current in a circuit?

• A. Current increases
• B. Current decreases
• C. Current remains the same
• D. Current varies unpredictably

Answer: (B)

Current in a circuit with a fixed voltage source is governed by I = V/R. When the voltage stays the same and resistance increases, the current must decrease because it’s inversely related to resistance. For example, with a 9-volt source, a 3-ohm resistor draws about 3 amperes, but if the resistance goes up to 6 ohms, the current drops to about 1.5 amperes. This shows that increasing resistance reduces the flow of charge. If resistance becomes very large, the current can become very small or effectively zero (an open circuit).

Current in a circuit with a fixed voltage source is governed by I = V/R. When the voltage stays the same and resistance increases, the current must decrease because it’s inversely related to resistance. For example, with a 9-volt source, a 3-ohm resistor draws about 3 amperes, but if the resistance goes up to 6 ohms, the current drops to about 1.5 amperes. This shows that increasing resistance reduces the flow of charge. If resistance becomes very large, the current can become very small or effectively zero (an open circuit).