What is the effect on the total resistance when a resistor is added in parallel to an existing resistor?

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Q: What is the effect on the total resistance when a resistor is added in parallel to an existing resistor?

Solution: Adding a resistor in parallel decreases the total resistance of the circuit.

Steps: 6

Step 1: Understand what resistance is. Resistance is a measure of how much a material opposes the flow of electric current.
Step 2: Know that resistors can be connected in two ways: in series (one after another) or in parallel (side by side).
Step 3: When resistors are in parallel, the total resistance is less than the smallest individual resistor.
Step 4: Use the formula for total resistance in parallel: 1/R_total = 1/R1 + 1/R2 + ... + 1/Rn, where R1, R2, ..., Rn are the resistances of the individual resistors.
Step 5: When you add another resistor in parallel, you are adding another term to the formula, which makes the total resistance smaller.
Step 6: Therefore, adding a resistor in parallel decreases the total resistance of the circuit.