Final answer:
The effective resistance of an air conditioner operating on 277 VAC and consuming 4.86 kW is calculated using Ohm's law and the power formula, which results in approximately 15.78 ohms.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the effective resistance of an air conditioner that operates on 277 VAC and consumes 4.86 kW, we use Ohm's law (V = IR, where V is voltage, I is current, and R is resistance) and the power formula (P = VI, where P is power).
First, we need to find the current (I) using the power formula:
P = VI
I = P / V
I = 4860 W / 277 V
I = 17.55 A
Once we have the current, we can then calculate the resistance (R):
V = IR
R = V / I
R = 277 V / 17.55 A
R ≈ 15.78 Ω
Therefore, the effective resistance of the air conditioner is approximately 15.78 ohms.