A circuit that provides more than one path for electrical current is called what?

• A. Parallel circuit
• B. Series circuit
• C. Open circuit
• D. Short circuit

Answer: (A)

When a circuit offers more than one path for current to take, the wiring is arranged so that current can split and flow through multiple branches. That setup is a parallel circuit. In a parallel arrangement, all branches share the same voltage across them, and the total current from the source is the sum of the currents in each branch. Adding more branches lowers the overall resistance seen by the source, allowing more total current without changing the voltage.

This differs from a series circuit, which has only a single path for current to flow through all components in sequence. An open circuit is a break in the path, so no current flows. A short circuit provides a very low-resistance path that bypasses the intended load, potentially causing a surge of current.

So the scenario described—more than one path for current—fits a parallel circuit.