In a series circuit, the same current flows through all components.

• A. Voltage Is The Same Across Each Component
• B. Total Current Adds In Series
• C. The Same Current Flows Through All Components
• D. Individual Components Do Not Affect The Others

Answer: (C)

The main idea is that in a series circuit the same current flows through every component because there is only one path for the charges to take. The current that leaves the source must pass through each component in turn, so it is the same everywhere in the loop. If you change one component, you change the total resistance and thus the current from the source, which then affects all components. The voltage across each component, however, can differ and is determined by that component’s resistance (the sum of all voltage drops equals the source voltage). This is why the statement that the same current flows through all components is the best description. The other ideas aren’t correct: voltage is not the same across each component, current doesn’t add in series, and individual components do affect the others through the shared current and total resistance.