Which of the following can be a result of excessive resistance in a circuit?

• A. Reduced voltage at the load
• B. Short circuit
• C. Power factor improvement
• D. High current flow

Answer: (D)

Excessive resistance in a circuit limits the current according to Ohm’s law: I = V / R. When resistance becomes large, the current that can flow drops. If the load is in series with that resistance, the smaller current means the load voltage V_load = I × R_load also decreases, so the load ends up with less voltage. A short circuit, by contrast, happens when there’s a path of very low resistance, which would increase current, not decrease it. Power factor can be affected by resistance, but simply adding too much resistance doesn’t reliably improve it and often reduces the power delivered. The result you’d most expect from excessive resistance is reduced voltage at the load.