Terminology check — a parallel circuit is often described as a current divider because the source current splits into branch currents that sum to the total. Is this description appropriate?

Introduction / Context:
Engineers commonly call parallel networks “current dividers.” This question tests your grasp of how total source current splits among branches while the same voltage appears across each branch in a parallel connection.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Multiple branches connected in parallel across a source.
• Ideal wires and lumped components.
• Steady-state DC or sinusoidal operation.

Concept / Approach:
Kirchhoff’s current law (KCL) states that the algebraic sum of currents at a node is zero. At the node where the source feeds several branches, the incoming source current equals the sum of outgoing branch currents. Because the voltage across each branch is the same, Ohm’s law sets branch currents based on branch impedances, dividing the total current.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
For two resistors R1 and R2 in parallel, the current-divider relation is I1 = I_total * (R2 / (R1 + R2)) and I2 = I_total * (R1 / (R1 + R2)) (for DC resistors), confirming the descriptive term “current divider.”

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Incorrect: Conflicts with KCL and the well-known current-divider behavior.
• Only for identical branch resistances: Division occurs for any values; only the split ratios change.
• Only when total current is constant: Even if source current varies over time, at each instant it still divides among branches per impedances.

Common Pitfalls:
Mixing up “voltage divider” (series) with “current divider” (parallel); assuming equal split regardless of resistance values.

Final Answer:
Correct — a parallel circuit functions as a current divider.