What remains constant in a parallel circuit?

In a parallel circuit, the voltage across all components connected in parallel remains constant. This is a defining characteristic of parallel circuits: each component (such as resistors, capacitors, or other devices) experiences the same voltage difference as the source supplying the circuit. This means that regardless of the individual resistances of each component, the voltage remains the same across each branch.

For instance, if a parallel circuit is powered by a 12-volt battery, every component in that circuit will also have 12 volts across it, allowing for consistent performance regardless of how the components' resistance values differ. This principle is key to understanding parallel circuits and their behavior in electrical systems.

Current, on the other hand, splits among the various branches of the circuit and is not constant across each component. The total current supplied by the source is the sum of the currents through each branch. Power can vary depending on the resistance and the current in each branch, and resistance as a whole changes based on the components included in the circuit. Thus, the only element that remains consistent across all branches in a parallel circuit is the voltage.