Final answer:
A microwave and a space heater each draw 1,500 W, but total energy use depends on operation time. Higher appliance power ratings mean greater electrical power consumption,
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct answer is option 8, which inquires about a microwave oven and a space heater, each drawing 1,500 W of electrical power.
The total energy used by these devices depends on how long they are operational. For example, a space heater may be used continuously for many hours to maintain room temperature, especially in cold weather, potentially using much more energy than a microwave oven, which is typically used for short durations to heat food.
The power ratings of appliances indicate the rate at which they consume energy, and are usually given in watts (W). Therefore, a toaster, which has a higher power rating than a digital clock, requires more electrical power because it has to generate sufficient heat to toast bread quickly.
If a person in good physical condition can put out 100 W of useful power, it would take 40 people to run a 4.00-kW electric clothes dryer, and an incredibly impractical number of about 8 million people to replace a large 800 MW electric power plant.
This theoretical exercise highlights the vast difference in scale between human power output and the electrical demands of modern appliances and infrastructure.
A space heater requires the most electrical power during operation compared to other devices. This is because space heaters are designed to generate heat by converting electrical energy into thermal energy. They typically have high wattage ratings, ranging from 500 to 1500 watts or even higher.
The higher the wattage, the more electrical power is consumed.
For example, a microwave oven and a space heater might draw the same amount of electrical power, but a space heater uses more energy because it operates for longer periods of time.
In a scenario where both appliances are used for an hour, the space heater would use more energy because it continues to draw power until it is turned off, while the microwave oven operates for a shorter duration when heating food.