Removing the second resistor from a series circuit with two resistors will affect the total resistance how?

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When considering the effect of removing the second resistor from a series circuit with two resistors, it's important to remember how resistance in series circuits operates. In a series circuit, the total resistance is the sum of the individual resistances. Therefore, if you have two resistors in series, the total resistance can be represented as ( R_{total} = R_1 + R_2 ).

If you remove the second resistor, only the first resistor remains in the circuit. Consequently, the total resistance decreases because there is now only one resistor present, and the resistance value of the remaining resistor directly defines the total resistance of the circuit.

Thus, removing a resistor from a series circuit always leads to a decrease in the total resistance, as you are essentially lessening the sum of the resistances in that circuit.