What happens to the voltage of a circuit when the total resistance increases?

When the total resistance in a circuit increases, the voltage across the circuit elements responds according to Ohm's Law, which states that voltage (V) is equal to current (I) multiplied by resistance (R), or V = I * R. In a series circuit where the total voltage is supplied by a voltage source, an increase in resistance leads to a decrease in current, assuming the voltage supply remains constant.

With higher resistance, there’s less current flowing for the same applied voltage. Since the total voltage is split across the resistors in the circuit, if current decreases due to increased resistance while the total voltage remains the same, the voltage drop across each individual resistor will also decrease. This results in an effective decrease in voltage across the overall circuit.

In summary, as total resistance increases, the current decreases, leading to a decrease in voltage across the circuit components when compared to the total supplied voltage from the source. This relationship underpins many principles within electrical theory, highlighting how resistance directly influences voltage in a circuit.