Meters and troubleshootingQuestion 709 of 1506

A resistor in a circuit fails open. What happens to the current through that resistor?

It rises to a very high value
It doubles
It stays the same
It falls to zero

Show answer

Correct answer: It falls to zero

An open resistor is an incomplete path, so no current flows through it.

Source: Lessons in Electric Circuits I: DC (Kuphaldt), 7.4: Component Failure Analysis (Continued)

Questions last reviewed: 18 October 2026

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