Notes Outline Characteristics of a Parallel Circuit Voltage is the same across each branch of the circuit. The total resistance is less than the smallest branch resistance. The total current is equal to the sum of the individual branch currents.
Total power is equal to the sum of the power dissipated by each resistance.
An open circuit in one branch results in no current through that branch. An open circuit in one branch has no effect on other branches. A short circuit has zero resistance, resulting in excessive current in the shorted branch. A shorted branch shorts the entire circuit. Current does not flow in other branches that are not shorted.