In a series circuit, how would you describe total circuit voltage?

In a series circuit, the total circuit voltage can be described as the sum of the individual voltage drops across each component. This occurs because, in a series configuration, the same current flows through each component, and each component has a certain resistance that causes it to consume some of the total voltage supplied by the power source.

When you add up all those voltage drops, you arrive at the total voltage supplied by the source. For example, if a circuit has three resistors in series and the voltage drop across each resistor is measured, the total voltage across the circuit will be equal to the sum of those voltage drops. This property is governed by Kirchhoff's voltage law, which states that the total voltage around a closed loop must equal zero, meaning that all the supplied voltage must be accounted for by the voltage drops across the components.

Thus, stating that total circuit voltage is the sum of the individual voltage drops accurately reflects how voltage behaves in a series circuit.