Identify one common cause of blown fuses.

The common cause of blown fuses is overloads due to short circuits or faulty components. A fuse is designed to protect an electrical circuit by melting and breaking the circuit when excessive current flows through it. This excessive current can occur from a short circuit, where a low-resistance path is inadvertently created, allowing more current to flow than the circuit can handle. Additionally, faulty components, such as malfunctioning motors or damaged appliances, can cause a spike in current, leading to fuse failure.

Understanding the nature of electric circuits and the safeguards in place, such as fuses, underscores the importance of identifying and addressing the root cause of these overloads to prevent recurrent issues in electrical systems.