How does increasing the resistance in a circuit affect the current flow, assuming the voltage remains constant according to $V=IR$?

• A. The current increases.
• B. The current decreases.
• C. The current first increases, then decreases.
• D. The current remains unchanged.

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Recall Ohm's Law, which states that the voltage \(V\) across a resistor is equal to the product of the current \(I\) flowing through it and the resistance \(R\): \[V = I \times R\]
2. Since the problem states that the voltage \(V\) remains constant, we can rearrange Ohm's Law to solve for the current \(I\): \[I = \frac{V}{R}\]
3. From this equation, observe that the current \(I\) is inversely proportional to the resistance \(R\) when voltage is constant.
4. Therefore, if the resistance \(R\) increases, the denominator in the fraction increases, which causes the current \(I\) to decrease.
5. In conclusion, increasing the resistance in a circuit while keeping voltage constant results in a decrease in the current flow.