In a parallel circuit, which statement is true about branch currents?

• A. The current is the same in every branch.
• B. The current in a branch is proportional to its resistance; lower resistance means higher current.
• C. The total current is independent of number of branches.
• D. The voltage across each branch is different.

Answer: (B)

In a parallel circuit, each branch is connected directly across the same supply, so the voltage across every branch is the same. Ohm’s law tells us that the current in a branch is I = V / R_branch. Because V is the same for all branches, the current in each branch depends on that branch’s resistance: a branch with lower resistance draws more current, while a branch with higher resistance draws less. So the branch current is governed by its resistance, and lower resistance means higher current in that branch.

This also explains why the other statements don’t hold: currents in different branches are not necessarily equal unless the resistances are the same; the total current is the sum of all branch currents and changes with the number of branches; and the voltage across each branch is the same, not different.