Which of the following statements about parallel circuits is true?

In parallel circuits, one of the key characteristics is that the voltage across each device connected in parallel remains the same. This means that each component experiences the same potential difference, regardless of the number of devices or their individual resistance values. This is a defining feature of parallel connections, allowing each device to operate independently of the others.

For instance, if you have a set of light bulbs connected in parallel, each bulb receives the full voltage supplied by the source. Therefore, even if one bulb burns out, the others continue to function because they are each still receiving the same voltage. This is in contrast to series circuits, where if one component fails, it breaks the entire circuit.

In terms of the other statements, when components are added in parallel, the total resistance actually decreases, contradicting the notion that resistance increases. Moreover, the current through each device can differ based on their resistance values; in a parallel circuit, while the total current divides among the paths, it is not the same through all devices. Thus, the third statement accurately reflects the behavior of voltage in parallel circuits.