Which of the following properties is characteristic of a short circuit?

Which of the following properties is characteristic of a short circuit?

• A. Arbitrary voltage
• B. Zero resistance
• C. Zero current
• D. Large inductance

Answer: (B)

A short circuit is characterized by a situation where current flows along an unintended path with very low resistance, essentially treating the connected conductors as if they have no resistance. This leads to a significant increase in current flow, limited primarily by the source's internal resistance and the impedance of the circuit. Since the resistance is essentially negligible in a short circuit scenario, it is accurate to describe this condition as having zero resistance. Understanding this characteristic helps to illustrate why a short circuit can lead to dangerous situations, such as overheating wires or tripping circuit breakers, as the current can rise dramatically when resistance drops to near zero. This dramatic change can create excessive heat and potential safety hazards in an electrical system. The concept of zero resistance underscores the nature of a short circuit as a fault condition where the normal operation of the electrical system is compromised.

A short circuit is characterized by a situation where current flows along an unintended path with very low resistance, essentially treating the connected conductors as if they have no resistance. This leads to a significant increase in current flow, limited primarily by the source's internal resistance and the impedance of the circuit. Since the resistance is essentially negligible in a short circuit scenario, it is accurate to describe this condition as having zero resistance.

Understanding this characteristic helps to illustrate why a short circuit can lead to dangerous situations, such as overheating wires or tripping circuit breakers, as the current can rise dramatically when resistance drops to near zero. This dramatic change can create excessive heat and potential safety hazards in an electrical system. The concept of zero resistance underscores the nature of a short circuit as a fault condition where the normal operation of the electrical system is compromised.