Circuit confusion, light bulbs, switches, and batteries

[BluJay214]

Homework Statement

So I came across this problem with this circuit. On the left side the battery is pointing up a wire, with negative side down. There's a switch on the positive side. On the right there is a battery with the negative down as well, with a light bulb on the positive side. Bisecting the wires there's another wire that is midway between the bottom wire connecting the negative ends of the battery and to the right of the switch. This wire has a light bulb on it.

When the switch is open, the circuit is battery, light bulb, light bulb, and back to the battery. When the switch is closed, only the middle light bulb lights up. I was wondering why this is the case.

Relevant Equations

V=IR
The light bulb can be considered a resistor

Before I modeled it, I thought the current would move in a figure 8 due to the battery on the right still loading the current. Then I thought of how the battery on the left would counteract that current. I am still not sure what is going on here. Is it kind of like a short circuit where the current goes the path of least resistance?

 

[phinds]

Try drawing an actual circuit diagram and use current loop analysis

 

[BluJay214]

why doesn't it move in a figure 8 though? wouldn't it do that or is that not how electricity works?

 

[phinds]

why doesn't it move in a figure 8 though? wouldn't it do that or is that not how electricity works?

Try drawing an actual circuit diagram and use current loop analysis