The current that leaves and re-enters a single power source in a parallel circuit is called the total current.

The current that leaves and re-enters a single power source in a parallel circuit is called the total current.

• A. Branch current
• B. Load current
• C. Parallel current
• D. Total current

Answer: (D)

In a parallel circuit, the current that leaves the power source and returns to it is the total current. This total is the sum of the currents in each parallel branch, because the source pushes current into all branches at once and the individual branch currents add up to the amount that leaves the source. For example, if there are two branches with currents of 2 A and 4 A, the total current drawn from the source is 2 A + 4 A = 6 A. That 6 A is the current that leaves the source and later returns to it. Branch current refers to the current in a single branch, not the whole circuit. Load current would imply the current through one particular load, which isn’t the entire current for a parallel network. Parallel current isn’t a standard term for the whole-circuit current. The term that best describes the current leaving and re-entering the source in a parallel setup is the total current.

In a parallel circuit, the current that leaves the power source and returns to it is the total current. This total is the sum of the currents in each parallel branch, because the source pushes current into all branches at once and the individual branch currents add up to the amount that leaves the source.

For example, if there are two branches with currents of 2 A and 4 A, the total current drawn from the source is 2 A + 4 A = 6 A. That 6 A is the current that leaves the source and later returns to it.

Branch current refers to the current in a single branch, not the whole circuit. Load current would imply the current through one particular load, which isn’t the entire current for a parallel network. Parallel current isn’t a standard term for the whole-circuit current. The term that best describes the current leaving and re-entering the source in a parallel setup is the total current.