Help me understand NPN transistors, circuit does not work
You've made a mistake when using your falstad simulation.

In the top right corner is a 'Run/Stop' box. What I suspect has happened is that you've taken the NPN transistor example. Changed the voltage to 5V without adding a base resistor first, exceeded the max current which has caused the simulation to stop. 



If you press the 'Run/Stop' button again now that you've added your base resistor then it should simulate correctly. As a general rule to remember, if there are no yellow dots (which represent current flow) then your simulation has most likely stopped. 



Edit: Just for completeness, here's the current flowing through the transistor with no voltage on the base, notice how the current values are the same as your image?