---
title: "A battery with electromotive force \\(\\mathcal{E}\\) and non-negligible internal resistance \\(r\\) is connected to three identical light bulbs, labeled 1, 2, and 3, each having constant resistance \\(R\\). Bulb 1 is in series with the parallel combination of Bulb 2 and Bulb 3. While the circuit is operating, the filament in Bulb 2 suddenly breaks, causing Bulb 2 to become an open circuit. Which row in the table correctly describes the changes in the battery’s terminal voltage, the current through Bulb 1, and the current through Bulb 3 after Bulb 2 burns out?  | Choice | Terminal Voltage | Current in Bulb 1 | Current in Bulb 3 | | :— | :— | :— | :— | | (A) | Decreases | Decreases | Increases | | (B) | Increases | Decreases | Decreases | | (C) | Increases | Decreases | Increases | | (D) | Decreases | Increases | Decreases |"
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url: "https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/120438/"
date_modified: "2026-08-23T04:34:40+00:00"
---

# A battery with electromotive force \(\mathcal{E}\) and non-negligible internal resistance \(r\) is connected to three identical light bulbs, labeled 1, 2, and 3, each having constant resistance \(R\). Bulb 1 is in series with the parallel combination of Bulb 2 and Bulb 3. While the circuit is operating, the filament in Bulb 2 suddenly breaks, causing Bulb 2 to become an open circuit. Which row in the table correctly describes the changes in the battery’s terminal voltage, the current through Bulb 1, and the current through Bulb 3 after Bulb 2 burns out?

| Choice | Terminal Voltage | Current in Bulb 1 | Current in Bulb 3 |
| :— | :— | :— | :— |
| (A) | Decreases | Decreases | Increases |
| (B) | Increases | Decreases | Decreases |
| (C) | Increases | Decreases | Increases |
| (D) | Decreases | Increases | Decreases |

A battery with electromotive force \(\mathcal{E}\) and non-negligible internal resistance \(r\) is connected to three identical light bulbs, labeled 1, 2, and 3, each having constant resistance \(R\). Bulb 1 is in series with the parallel combination of Bulb 2 and Bulb 3. While the circuit is operating, the filament in Bulb 2 suddenly breaks, causing Bulb 2 to become an open circuit. Which row in the table correctly describes the changes in the battery's terminal voltage, the current through Bulb 1, and the current through Bulb 3 after Bulb 2 burns out?

| Choice | Terminal Voltage | Current in Bulb 1 | Current in Bulb 3 |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| (A) | Decreases | Decreases | Increases |
| (B) | Increases | Decreases | Decreases |
| (C) | Increases | Decreases | Increases |
| (D) | Decreases | Increases | Decreases |

![A horizontal rectangular schematic diagram of a DC circuit. On the left vertical segment, a real battery is represented inside a dashed rectangle containing an ideal battery symbol labeled \(\mathcal{E}\) and a resistor symbol labeled \(r\) in series. The top wire extends horizontally to the right to a circular light bulb symbol labeled 1. To the right of bulb 1, the wire splits at a node into two parallel horizontal paths: the top path contains a circular bulb symbol labeled 2, and the bottom path contains a circular bulb symbol labeled 3. The two parallel paths merge at a second node to the right, and the wire continues down and back along the bottom to the negative terminal of the battery. No other labels, lines, text, or axes appear.](https://nerd-notes.com/wp-content/uploads/ubq-frq-generated/stem-fig-1-1787459680-zFTEFJ.jpg)

- **A.** Decreases | Decreases | Increases
- **B.** Increases | Decreases | Decreases
- **C.** Increases | Decreases | Increases
- **D.** Decreases | Increases | Decreases

*The answer key and step-by-step explanation are available to logged-in users at https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/120438/*