The ... can be determined using Ohm's Law and the ... any time there are components in series with the source.

The ... can be determined using Ohm's Law and the ... any time there are components in series with the source.

• A. component current / parallel rules
• B. component voltage drops / total current
• C. total current / component wattage
• D. total resistance / component resistance

Answer: (B)

In a series circuit the same current flows through every component, and Ohm’s Law links that current to the voltage drop across each component. The voltage drop across a particular component is V_drop = I_series × R_component. So, if you know the total current in the loop, you can determine each component’s voltage drop by multiplying that current by the component’s resistance. That’s why the statement about component voltage drops being determinable using Ohm’s Law and the total current is the best fit for networks with components in series. The other ideas don’t align with the series behavior: current is not different across components in series, so talking about “component current” doesn’t fit; parallel rules aren’t applicable to series circuits; and while you can relate wattage later, the direct, most straightforward use here is finding voltage drops from the common series current.

In a series circuit the same current flows through every component, and Ohm’s Law links that current to the voltage drop across each component. The voltage drop across a particular component is V_drop = I_series × R_component. So, if you know the total current in the loop, you can determine each component’s voltage drop by multiplying that current by the component’s resistance. That’s why the statement about component voltage drops being determinable using Ohm’s Law and the total current is the best fit for networks with components in series.

The other ideas don’t align with the series behavior: current is not different across components in series, so talking about “component current” doesn’t fit; parallel rules aren’t applicable to series circuits; and while you can relate wattage later, the direct, most straightforward use here is finding voltage drops from the common series current.