In a series circuit, the voltage drop across each component is proportional to its resistance. Which statement expresses this correctly?

• A. The voltage drop across each component is independent of resistance
• B. The voltage drop across each component is proportional to its resistance
• C. The currents are different in each component
• D. The current is different from the source current

Answer: (B)

Voltage distribution in a series circuit follows V = I R, so with the same current flowing through every component, the voltage drop across each element scales with its resistance. In series, the current is identical through all components, so a higher resistance yields a larger voltage drop, and a lower resistance yields a smaller one. This is why the statement that the voltage drop is proportional to resistance is the correct one.

Why the other ideas don’t fit: the voltage drop is not independent of resistance; it depends on both resistance and the current. The currents in a series circuit are not different from one component to another—they’re the same everywhere. The current through each component is the same as the source current, not different from it.