A student connects two identical lamps in parallel with a battery. Explain how the current and voltage in the parallel circuit compare to those in a series circuit containing the same two lamps and the same battery.

In a parallel circuit each lamp is connected directly to the battery, so the voltage across each lamp equals the battery voltage. In a series circuit the two lamps are in line, so the battery voltage is divided between them.
The battery supplies a larger total current in the parallel arrangement because the two paths provide a lower overall resistance. In the series circuit the same current flows through both lamps.
In parallel the current from the battery splits between the two branches; each lamp carries a part of the total current. In series the current is the same through both lamps.