Electricity: Electric Ciruits

Electric Circuits: Audio Guided Solution

Problem 15:

During the Christmas season, Sel Erbate uses the equivalent of 45 strings of 100 mini-bulbs to light the inside and outside of his home. Each 100-bulb string of lights is rated at 40 Watts. The average daily usage of the strings is 7 hours. The lights are used for approximately 40 days during the holiday season.
a. Determine the resistance of each string of lights. Each is powered by 110-volt outlet.
b. Determine the energy consumed (in kW•hr) by the lights over the course of 40 days.
c. If Sel pays 12 cents/kW•hr for electrical energy, then what is the total cost of Christmas lighting for a single season?

Audio Guided Solution

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Habits of an Effective Problem Solver

  • Read the problem carefully and develop a mental picture of the physical situation. If necessary, sketch a simple diagram of the physical situation to help you visualize it.
  • Identify the known and unknown quantities and record them in an organized manner. Equate given values to the symbols used to represent the corresponding quantity - e.g., ΔV = 9.0 V; R = 0.025 Ω; I = ???.
  • Use physics formulas and conceptual reasoning to plot a strategy for solving for the unknown quantity.
  • Identify the appropriate formula(s) to use.
  • Perform substitutions and algebraic manipulations in order to solve for the unknown quantity.

Read About It!

Get more information on the topic of Electric Circuits at The Physics Classroom Tutorial.

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