74.5k views
4 votes
In the first situation (series connection), which of the two bulbs glows the brightest?

1 Answer

7 votes

Final answer:

In a series circuit, the 60 W bulb will glow brighter than the 100 W bulb since it has higher resistance and therefore a higher voltage drop across it, leading to greater power dissipation.

Step-by-step explanation:

When two household lightbulbs with different power ratings, a 60 W bulb and a 100 W bulb, are connected in series to household power, the 60 W bulb will glow brighter. This is because in a series circuit, the current through all components is the same, but the voltage across each component is different. Since the 100 W bulb is designed for a higher power (and therefore lower resistance at a given voltage), in a series circuit, the 60 W bulb, which has higher resistance, ends up with a greater voltage drop across it and dissipates more power, causing it to glow brighter than the 100 W bulb. This can be represented by the formula P = I2R, where P is power, I is current, and R is resistance. Therefore, the bulb with the higher resistance will shine brighter in a series circuit since it dissipates more power due to a higher voltage drop across it.

User Chris Padgett
by
8.0k points