A short circuit in a branch of a parallel circuit will:

• A. The voltage across the remaining branches increases
• B. No current flows in the circuit
• C. The current in the remaining branches is redistributed evenly
• D. An excessive amount of current to flow

Answer: (D)

In a parallel circuit, all branches share the same supply voltage. If one branch short-circuits, its resistance drops toward zero, so the current through that branch becomes very large. That creates a surge of current from the source, which is the “excessive current” scenario. The short path draws a lot of current, and while the other branches still see the same supply voltage, their currents aren’t forced to redistribute evenly—they simply carry currents based on their own resistances (and, in a real source, the supply might sag under the heavy draw). So the most accurate outcome is that an excessive amount of current flows through the short branch, which is why this option is best.