Final answer:
In the context of an automobile starter motor, physics is used to calculate current, voltage, and power based on electric resistance and Ohm's law, considering the effects of additional resistance due to factors like battery corrosion.
Step-by-step explanation:
When an automobile starter motor is engaged and carrying a current, we are dealing with an application of Ohm's law and basic electrical power calculations in the realm of physics.
Calculation examples:
(a) To calculate the current to the motor when the total resistance is known and the supply voltage is given, use Ohm's law: I = V / R. In this case, the total resistance would include both the motor's resistance and any internal resistance from the battery.
(b) The voltage applied to the motor would be the supply voltage minus any voltage drop across the battery's internal resistance.
(c) The power supplied to the motor can be found by P = IV, where I is the current calculated in part (a) and V is the voltage applied to the motor from part (b).
(d) If the battery connections are corroded causing additional resistance in the circuit, we would repeat the calculations factoring in this new resistance to find updated values for current, voltage, and power.