Final answer:
The energy used when current flows through a resistor is measured in watts, which represents the rate of energy use. The formula for electrical power is P = IV, where P is power in watts, I is current in amps, and V is voltage in volts. The correct answer is option C.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a certain amount of current flows through a resistor, the energy used is measured in watts. The unit watt (W) represents the rate at which energy is used or dissipated by the resistor. In more technical terms, electrical power (P) is the product of current (I) and voltage (V), according to the formula P = IV.
For example, if 12 volts (V) are applied across a resistor and it dissipates 120 watts (P) of power, we can calculate the current using the formula. Dividing power by voltage gives us the current, I = P/V. Therefore, the current through the resistor is 120 W / 12 V = 10 A.
If one were to accidentally pass a current of 2.00 A through a resistor rated at 1 W, the resistor could overheat or burn out due to the excess power dissipation, since power is also given by P = I2R, where R is the resistance.