A kitchen ceiling light has five lightbulbs on it. When one of the lights goes out, the other four will stay lit. This is an example of a series circuit.

True or False

I think FALSE because a series circuit would make them all go out.

Right. Go to the head of the class.

You are correct, the statement is FALSE. When one lightbulb goes out and the other four stay lit, it is an example of a parallel circuit, not a series circuit.

In a series circuit, the components (in this case, lightbulbs) are connected one after another, creating a single pathway for the current. If one component fails or gets disconnected, the circuit becomes open and all other components will cease to operate.

On the other hand, in a parallel circuit, each component is connected separately, forming multiple paths for the current to flow. When one component (such as a lightbulb) fails or gets disconnected in a parallel circuit, the current can still flow through the remaining paths, allowing the other components to stay operational.

So, in the given scenario, if one lightbulb goes out and the other four remain lit, it indicates that they are connected in parallel, as the circuit can still function even if one component fails.