In a parallel circuit, the total current is the sum of the branch currents.

• A. The total current equals the product of the branch currents.
• B. The total current equals the sum of the branch currents.
• C. The total current equals the remaining after subtracting branch currents.
• D. The total current is independent of branch currents.

Answer: (B)

In a parallel circuit, currents split at a junction and then recombine, so the total current coming from the source equals the sum of the currents in each branch. This follows from Kirchhoff’s current law: at a node, currents entering and leaving balance. Since each branch can draw current independently with the same voltage across it, the total current is simply I_total = I1 + I2 + ... . That’s why the statement that the total current is the sum of the branch currents is the correct one.

The other ideas don’t fit because multiplying currents would violate charge conservation, subtracting would imply a leftover amount, and saying the total is independent ignores how each branch contributes to the overall current.