Question

Three circuit elements with resistances R1, R2, and R3 are connected in parallel to a voltage source. Which circuit element will use the most power if R1 < R2 < R3?

(1 point)
A. The circuit element with resistance R2 will use the most power.
B. The circuit element with resistance R3 will use the most power.
C. Because they are in parallel, all three elements will use the same power.
D. The circuit element with resistance R1 will use the most power.

Answer 1

D. The circuit element with resistance R1 will use the most power.

Step-by-step explanation:

In a parallel circuit, each circuit element has the same voltage across it. Therefore, the power used by each circuit element can be calculated using the formula P = V^2/R, where V is the voltage across the element and R is the resistance of the element.

Since R1 < R2 < R3, the resistance of R1 is the smallest of the three. This means that R1 will draw the largest current of the three elements.

Using the formula P = V^2/R, we can see that the power used by each circuit element is inversely proportional to its resistance. This means that the circuit element with the smallest resistance, R1, will use the most power, and the circuit element with the largest resistance, R3, will use the least power. Therefore, the answer is D. The circuit element with resistance R1 will use the most power.