How does the resistance of a cable affect the current drawn by a device?

• A. Higher resistance increases current; lower resistance decreases current.
• B. Current is independent of resistance.
• C. Higher resistance reduces current (I = V/R); lower resistance increases current.
• D. Current is always equal to voltage divided by resistance.

Answer: (C)

Current in a circuit with a fixed supply voltage follows Ohm's law: I = V/R. This means resistance and current move in opposite directions. A cable adds its own resistance; if the cable’s resistance goes up, the same voltage pushes a smaller current, so the device draws less current. Conversely, a shorter or thicker cable has lower resistance, letting more current flow. You may also get a voltage drop across the cable itself when its resistance is significant, which further reduces the voltage available to the device. So, higher resistance reduces current, while lower resistance increases it.