In a parallel circuit, what happens to the total resistance as more resistors are added?

In a parallel circuit, when more resistors are added, the total resistance decreases. This occurs because the overall current can flow through multiple paths simultaneously. Each additional resistor provides an extra path for the current to take, reducing the total resistance according to the formula for calculating total resistance in parallel circuits, which is given by the reciprocal of the sum of the reciprocals of each individual resistor's resistance.

Mathematically, this is represented as:

1/R_total = 1/R_1 + 1/R_2 + 1/R_3 + ...

As a result of this relationship, as more resistors are connected in parallel, the total resistance approaches a value that is less than the smallest individual resistor's resistance. Hence, the more resistors added, the more pathways for current flow, which leads to a decrease in the total resistance of the circuit. Therefore, it is essential to understand that adding resistors in parallel effectively reduces overall resistance rather than increasing or keeping it constant, which emphasizes the very nature of how parallel circuits operate.