What happens to the total resistance when resistors are added in series?

When resistors are added in series, the total resistance increases because the overall resistance in the circuit is the sum of the individual resistances of each resistor connected in that series. This occurs because the current flowing through the circuit encounters the added resistance of each resistor, leading to a higher total resistance compared to just one resistor alone.

The relationship for calculating total resistance in a series configuration can be expressed with the formula:

[ R_{total} = R_1 + R_2 + R_3 + \ldots + R_n ]

where ( R_{total} ) is the total resistance, and ( R_1, R_2, \ldots, R_n ) are the resistances of the individual resistors. Therefore, when additional resistors are connected in series, more resistive paths are introduced, which cumulatively increases the resistance experienced by the circuit.