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ASVAB · Circuits and Ohm's Law

What happens to the other bulbs if one bulb burns out in a simple series circuit of holiday lights?

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Correct answer

All the other bulbs go out because the single path is broken

  1. A Only the next bulb goes out
  2. B All the other bulbs go out because the single path is broken
  3. C The bulbs get brighter
  4. D Nothing changes

Why this is the answer

In a series circuit there is only one path for current to flow. If one bulb burns out, it breaks the path (creates an open circuit), so current can no longer flow and all the bulbs go out. This is the classic problem with old-style series holiday lights. In a parallel circuit, by contrast, each bulb has its own path, so one burning out does not affect the others — which is why modern wiring and most household circuits use parallel connections. The behavior when one component fails is a key way to tell series from parallel.
Source: ASVAB Electronics Information — Series vs Parallel Behavior

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About this topic: Circuits and Ohm's Law

Circuits and Ohm's Law questions ask you to calculate voltage, current, resistance or power, and to understand series versus parallel circuits — how resistance adds in series and reduces in parallel, and what happens when one component fails. This is one of 17 Electronics Information questions on circuits and ohm's law, each with a full explanation on a single study page.

New to this exam? Our ASVAB exam guide explains the format, scoring, and how to prepare.

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