Which type of circuit load results in total circuit resistance being less than individual branch resistance?

The type of circuit load that results in total circuit resistance being less than the individual branch resistance is found in a parallel circuit. In a parallel circuit, multiple branches are connected across the same two points, so the voltage across each branch is the same.

When you introduce additional branches into a parallel configuration, the overall current flowing through the circuit increases because each branch provides an alternative path for the current to flow. This effectively reduces the total circuit resistance because total resistance in a parallel circuit is calculated using the formula:

[

\frac{1}{R_{total}} = \frac{1}{R_1} + \frac{1}{R_2} + \frac{1}{R_3} + \ldots

]

As seen in this formula, adding more paths (branches) results in a total resistance that approaches or decreases, due to the inverse nature of the resistance calculations in parallel circuits. This outcome stands in contrast to series circuits, where resistance adds up, and to combination and complex circuits, which can involve both series and parallel elements but do not necessarily guarantee that resistance will be less than any individual branch, particularly if the series component dominates.