For a class project, Jerome builds a simple circuit with a battery and three light bulbs. On his way to school, Jerome drops his project and breaks one of the light bulbs. He has no time to fix or replace the bulb, so he removes the broken bulb and turns in his project. What will happen when Jerome runs current through his circuit?

Question

For a class project, Jerome builds a simple circuit with a battery and three light bulbs. On his way to school, Jerome drops his project and breaks one of the light bulbs. He has no time to fix or replace the bulb, so he removes the broken bulb and turns in his project. What will happen when Jerome runs current through his circuit?

a
If Jerome built a series circuit, both remaining bulbs will still light up.
b
If Jerome built a parallel circuit, both remaining bulbs will still light up.
c
If Jerome built a parallel circuit, only the remaining bulb closest to the battery will light up.
d
If Jerome built a series circuit, only the remaining bulb closest to the battery will light up.

Answer 1

d. If Jerome built a series circuit, only the remaining bulb closest to the battery will light up. This is because in a series circuit, the current travels through each component in turn, and a break in the series (such as a missing or broken bulb) will prevent current from flowing to any components further down the line.