Which of the following is a typical symptom of a short circuit?

• A. A fuse blows or a breaker trips.
• B. Voltage remains constant and no heat is generated.
• C. A light remains off without any fault.
• D. The battery gauge shows full charge.

Answer: (A)

A short circuit causes a surge in current that triggers protective devices. Fuses and circuit breakers are designed to detect this overcurrent and interrupt the circuit to prevent damage or fire. That’s why a fuse blowing or a breaker tripping is the typical symptom you’d observe. The other options don’t fit a short circuit: a constant voltage with no heat suggests the circuit isn’t drawing excessive current; a light staying off without fault points to a problem unrelated to a short; and a battery gauge showing full charge doesn’t indicate a short condition.