Ideal source behavior: When a battery is connected to a purely series circuit, the current it delivers depends primarily on which single factor?

Introduction / Context:
Ohm’s law gives a direct relationship among voltage, current, and resistance in simple DC circuits. Recognizing what sets the current helps with power budgeting, fuse sizing, and verifying whether a design will overload a source.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Ideal battery providing a fixed DC voltage.
• All elements are in series (single path for current).
• No internal resistance or nonlinearities considered for the basic principle.

Concept / Approach:
For an ideal source of voltage V connected to a series resistance R_total, the current is I = V / R_total. Polarity sets direction, not magnitude. Terms such as “primary/secondary” relate to transformers, not DC sources. “Average resistance” is not an electrical parameter; only the algebraic sum matters in series.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Measure current while adding another series resistor; current decreases according to I_new = V / (R_total + ΔR), confirming dependence on total resistance.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Primary/secondary difference: Not applicable to simple battery circuits.
• Polarity connections: Affect direction of current, not magnitude for given R_total.
• Average resistance: Not an electrical standard; magnitude is set by the true total.

Common Pitfalls:
Ignoring internal battery resistance in real life; while small, it can limit current. The ideal model still teaches the governing dependency.

Final Answer:
total resistance