If you remove a bulb from a mixed circuit, how can the brightness of the remaining bulb change?

If you remove a bulb from a mixed circuit, how can the brightness of the remaining bulb change?

• A. It stays the same
• B. The brightness dims or brightens depending on arrangement
• C. Both bulbs become brighter
• D. Both bulbs go out

Answer: (B)

Brightness depends on how much current flows through a bulb and the voltage across it. In a mixed circuit, bulbs share parts of the path, so removing one lamp changes the overall resistance the source sees and how the current and voltage are distributed. In some layouts, taking one lamp out reduces the load in a way that increases the voltage across the remaining lamp, causing it to brighten. In other layouts, the same removal reduces the current available to the rest of the circuit or shifts the voltage so the remaining lamp becomes dimmer. Only in a pure series chain would removal typically turn the other off. Because the effect depends on the exact wiring, the remaining bulb can dim or brighten depending on arrangement.

Brightness depends on how much current flows through a bulb and the voltage across it. In a mixed circuit, bulbs share parts of the path, so removing one lamp changes the overall resistance the source sees and how the current and voltage are distributed. In some layouts, taking one lamp out reduces the load in a way that increases the voltage across the remaining lamp, causing it to brighten. In other layouts, the same removal reduces the current available to the rest of the circuit or shifts the voltage so the remaining lamp becomes dimmer. Only in a pure series chain would removal typically turn the other off. Because the effect depends on the exact wiring, the remaining bulb can dim or brighten depending on arrangement.