If resistance increases while voltage remains constant, what happens to the current?

If resistance increases while voltage remains constant, what happens to the current?

• A. It stays the same
• B. It fluctuates
• C. It increases
• D. It decreases

Answer: (D)

With a constant voltage, current depends inversely on resistance, described by I = V / R. When resistance increases while voltage stays the same, the current must decrease because the same pushing force (voltage) encounters more opposition. Doubling the resistance, for instance, halves the current. A good intuition is to compare voltage to pressure and current to flow: keeping pressure fixed but narrowing the path reduces flow. So the current decreases.

With a constant voltage, current depends inversely on resistance, described by I = V / R. When resistance increases while voltage stays the same, the current must decrease because the same pushing force (voltage) encounters more opposition. Doubling the resistance, for instance, halves the current. A good intuition is to compare voltage to pressure and current to flow: keeping pressure fixed but narrowing the path reduces flow. So the current decreases.