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Why do other components stop working when one component fails in a series circuit?

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In a series circuit, all components are connected along a single, continuous path. Because the entire electric current must flow through every component to complete the circuit, the path is dependent on the integrity of each individual part.1

If one component fails—such as a bulb burning out or a wire breaking—the conducting pathway is physically interrupted. This break stops the flow of current entirely, preventing electricity from reaching any of the other components in the series. Consequently, the entire circuit ceases to function.1