Physics Q&A?
A simple circuit has a total resistance of 60ohm. If a 2.0-A current is maintained in this circuit, how much energy is dissipated in this circuit in 4.0 seconds?
A. 48 J
B. 9.6 J
C. 96 J
D. 960 J
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Verified answer
The amount of (heat) energy dissipated per time in a resistor is
Power = Current * (Resistance squared)
or
P = I*R^2
The units are:
Power: Watts (also known as Joules per second)
Current: Amps
Resistance: Ohms
Plugging into this equation gives us
P = (2.0)*(60)^2 = 2.0*3600 = 7200 Joules / second
The total energy would be
Energy = Power * time
E = P*t = 7200 * 4 = 2880 Joules