Which statement best defines a circuit?

Which statement best defines a circuit?

• A. A complete path for voltage to flow from a source through a load and back to the source.
• B. A path where current cannot flow.
• C. A path with infinite resistance.
• D. A path with voltage but no current.

Answer: (A)

A circuit is a closed conducting path that lets electric current move from a source, through a load, and back to the source. This continuous loop is needed so charges can travel and return, completing the path. The statement that describes a complete loop for current to flow through a load and back to the source captures how a functioning circuit works. If current cannot flow, the loop is broken (an open circuit), so it isn’t a circuit. A path with infinite resistance would halt current, and a path with voltage but no current isn’t a complete loop either. So the description of a complete path from the source, through a load, and back is the correct one.

A circuit is a closed conducting path that lets electric current move from a source, through a load, and back to the source. This continuous loop is needed so charges can travel and return, completing the path. The statement that describes a complete loop for current to flow through a load and back to the source captures how a functioning circuit works. If current cannot flow, the loop is broken (an open circuit), so it isn’t a circuit. A path with infinite resistance would halt current, and a path with voltage but no current isn’t a complete loop either. So the description of a complete path from the source, through a load, and back is the correct one.