In a series circuit, the current is

• A. Identical
• B. Different across components
• C. Zero
• D. Depends on resistance

Answer: (A)

In a series circuit, the current is identical through every element because there is only one path for the charges to flow. The same amount of charge per unit time moves around the loop, so the current entering any component must equal the current leaving it. The total current is set by the supply voltage and the total resistance of the circuit, I = V / R_total, rather than by any single component alone. While the current remains the same everywhere in the loop, the voltage drops across components can differ, with each drop proportional to that component’s resistance (V = IR). This explains why the current is the same yet the voltages vary among components, a key distinction from parallel circuits where current can split.