How Parallel Connection Brightens Lamps

Why does the electrical resistance decrease when two lamps are connected in parallel to a battery?

a) Due to increased voltage

b) Due to decreased current

c) Due to the ability for current to flow through each lamp separately

Answer:

The electrical resistance decreases when two lamps are connected in parallel to a battery because of the ability for current to flow through each lamp separately.

When two lamps are connected in parallel to a battery, the total electrical resistance experienced by the battery decreases. This is due to the fact that in a parallel connection, the current can flow through each lamp separately, rather than having to flow through one lamp before flowing through the other. As a result, the total resistance is decreased, which allows more current to flow from the battery to the lamps.

The decrease in resistance is a result of the parallel resistance formula, which states that the total resistance of two resistors connected in parallel is less than the resistance of either resistor alone. The formula is given by:

1/Rt = 1/R1 + 1/R2

where Rt is the total resistance, and R1 and R2 are the resistances of the individual lamps.

Due to this decreased resistance, the battery is able to deliver more current to the lamps, resulting in increased brightness. It's important to note that while the current increases, the voltage across each lamp remains the same in a parallel circuit since the voltage of the battery is consistent across all components.