What type of electric circuit has only one pathway for current to flow?

A series circuit is characterized by having only one pathway for current to flow. In this configuration, all components are connected end-to-end in a single loop, meaning that the current that flows through one component must also flow through every other component in the circuit. This arrangement leads to a situation where any break or failure in one part of the circuit will stop the flow of current throughout the entire circuit, which is a key defining feature of series circuits.

Other types of circuits, such as parallel circuits, have multiple pathways allowing current to flow through different branches simultaneously, hence not fitting the description of a single pathway. Closed circuits refer to complete circuits that allow current to flow, but they can be either series or parallel. Complex circuits combine elements of both series and parallel configurations and thus do not limit the flow to a single path. Therefore, identifying a series circuit when considering the characteristic of having only one pathway for current is essential.