Short Circuits

[pjk77]

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Hey everyone. This is from the NOVA Physics book and its about circuits. If a wire is attached on top over that one light bulb, why does this also diminish the voltage drop for the light bulb below it? I thought since these were in parallel, it would only burn out the one light bulb and not affect the other at all? Instead, they are saying that that middle lightbulb will also then not have a voltage drop (change in V=0) and the voltage drop for the bottom light bulb would increase.

Thanks for any clarification with this.

 

[SpaceBuff12]

The wire and the top two light bulbs are all in parallel. Since the resistance of the wire is nearly zero relative to the light bulbs all of the current will flow through the wire and the voltage drop across the top two bulbs will be zero.

 

[pjk77]

oh ok! I wasn't thinking of it as the wire and light bulb 1 and light bulb 2 are all 3 in parallel.. makes sense! Thanks!