What happens to the total resistance in a parallel circuit if more resistors are added?

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Q: What happens to the total resistance in a parallel circuit if more resistors are added?

Solution: In a parallel circuit, adding more resistors decreases the total resistance.

Steps: 6

Step 1: Understand what a parallel circuit is. In a parallel circuit, all components are connected across the same two points, creating multiple paths for current to flow.
Step 2: Know that each resistor in a parallel circuit provides an additional path for the current. This means that the total current can increase when more resistors are added.
Step 3: Remember that resistance is a measure of how much a material opposes the flow of electric current. In a parallel circuit, adding more resistors allows more current to flow, which reduces the overall resistance.
Step 4: Use the formula for total resistance in a parallel circuit: 1/R_total = 1/R1 + 1/R2 + 1/R3 + ... (where R1, R2, R3 are the resistances of the individual resistors).
Step 5: When you add more resistors (R4, R5, etc.), the left side of the equation (1/R_total) increases, which means R_total (the total resistance) decreases.
Step 6: Conclude that as you add more resistors in a parallel circuit, the total resistance gets smaller.