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, only the remaining bulb closest to the battery will light up.
b
If Jerome built a parallel circuit, both remaining bulbs will still light up.
c
If Jerome built a series circuit, both remaining bulbs will still light up.
d
If Jerome built a parallel circuit, only the remaining bulb closest to the battery will light up.
If Jerome built a series circuit, only the remaining bulb closest to the battery will light up.
The correct answer is c) If Jerome built a series circuit, both remaining bulbs will still light up.
In a series circuit, the current flows through the components in a single path. If one component stops functioning or is removed, it breaks the circuit and interrupts the flow of current. Therefore, in this case, if one bulb is removed, the circuit will be broken and no bulbs will light up. Hence, option a) and b) are not correct.
On the other hand, in a parallel circuit, each component is connected separately to the battery, so the removal of one bulb will not affect the other bulbs. Both remaining bulbs will still light up. Therefore, option d) is also not correct.
To answer this question, we need to understand the fundamentals of series and parallel circuits.
In a series circuit, the components are connected in a single path, where the current flows through each component one after the other. If one component fails or is removed, the circuit becomes incomplete, and the flow of current is interrupted. As a result, in a series circuit, if Jerome removes one of the bulbs, the circuit will be open, and none of the remaining bulbs will light up.
On the other hand, in a parallel circuit, the components are connected side by side, creating multiple paths for the current to flow. Each component in a parallel circuit has its own separate path, so the removal or failure of one component does not interrupt the current in the other paths. Therefore, in a parallel circuit, even if Jerome removes one of the bulbs, the other remaining bulbs will still light up because they have their own independent paths for the current to flow.
Now, let's apply this knowledge to answer the question. Jerome mentioned that he removed one of the bulbs and did not have time to fix or replace it. If his circuit was built as a series circuit, the correct answer would be (a): Only the remaining bulb closest to the battery will light up because series circuits rely on a complete path. However, if his circuit was built as a parallel circuit, the correct answer would be (b): Both remaining bulbs will still light up because parallel circuits allow independent paths for the current.
Therefore, the correct answer depends on the type of circuit Jerome built.