Calculating Resistance of a Light Bulb in an Automobile

01 Dec 2022

Resistor Power Calculation

The resistance of the light bulb is R = 2.4 Ω.

We can use the formula for power in terms of voltage and resistance to solve for the resistance of the light bulb.

The power (P) dissipated by a resistor can be calculated using the formula:

P = V² / R

Where:

P is the power (60 watts in this case)

V is the voltage (12 volts)

R is the resistance (what we're trying to find)

Rearranging the formula to solve for resistance:

R = V² / P

Substitute the given values:

R = (12 volts)² / 60 watts = 144 / 60 Ω = 2.4 Ω

What is the resistance of the light bulb in an automobile when it dissipates 60 watts connected to a 12 volt battery?

The resistance of the light bulb in this scenario is calculated to be 2.4 Ω.