At the time of short circuit, the current in the circuit (a) reduces substantially. (b) does not change. (c) increases heavily. (d) vary continuously.

Electrical circuits are the foundation of understanding how electricity flows and powers various devices. An electrical circuit is essentially a pathway that allows electric charge to flow. It is made up of different components like resistors, capacitors, and power sources that are linked together by conductive wires.

When a short circuit happens, it creates an unintended, low-resistance path for current to flow. This bypasses the normal path and the components in the circuit. Therefore, understanding short circuits requires a basic knowledge of how electrical circuits are supposed to function.

Using Ohm's Law, which states that the current through a conductor between two points is directly proportional to the voltage across the two points and inversely proportional to the resistance between them, the higher the resistance, the lower the current. In a short circuit, the resistance drops dramatically, and this increases the current flow significantly.

Current flow in any electrical circuit is the amount of electric charge passing a point in the circuit per unit time. The standard unit of current is the ampere (A). When you have a high current flow, it means that a large amount of charge is moving through the circuit very quickly.

During a short circuit, the low-resistance path created causes a significant surge in current flow. This is because there is very little impedance to oppose the movement of the electric charge. As a result, the current spikes rapidly. It is important to note that this is potentially dangerous as circuit components are usually designed to handle only a certain amount of current. The excessive current can overheat components, damage the circuit, and even cause fires.

Electrical systems are therefore equipped with circuit breakers or fuses to interrupt the flow of current during a short circuit, protecting the circuit from damage.

Circuit components are the various elements used in an electrical circuit to control the flow of current and voltage. Common circuit components include resistors, capacitors, and inductors.

Resistors add resistance to the circuit, limiting the amount of current that can flow. Capacitors store electric charge and can release it when required, acting as temporary batteries. Inductors store energy in a magnetic field when current flows through them. Each of these components has specific roles and characteristics that make them indispensable in designing functioning circuits.

When a short circuit occurs, these components may be bypassed completely due to the newly created low-resistance pathway. As a result, they can no longer regulate the current flow as intended. The bypassing effect renders them ineffective, which can lead to damage or malfunction as they are exposed to currents much higher than their specified limits.

To prevent this, circuits are often designed with protective devices like fuses or circuit breakers that cut off the circuit when an overflow of current is detected.