Questions: QUESTIONS: 1. Why did the higher wattage lamp draw more current than the lower wattage lamp? Support your answer with your own lab data in tables I and II, and Ohm's Law formulas. 2. How would the current in the circuit be affected if the load were removed from the circuit (in other words, if you unscrewed the lamp from the lamp socket)? 3. Were there any differences between the resistance readings measured with the multimeter and the calculated resistance values? If so, explain why. 4. Why was the coil of ten turns of wire used in this experiment? 5. Are the calculated wattage values for the lamps the same as the wattage values indicated (printed) on the lamps? Yes? No? Explain your answer.

QUESTIONS:
1. Why did the higher wattage lamp draw more current than the lower wattage lamp? Support your answer with your own lab data in tables I and II, and Ohm's Law formulas.
2. How would the current in the circuit be affected if the load were removed from the circuit (in other words, if you unscrewed the lamp from the lamp socket)?
3. Were there any differences between the resistance readings measured with the multimeter and the calculated resistance values? If so, explain why.
4. Why was the coil of ten turns of wire used in this experiment?
5. Are the calculated wattage values for the lamps the same as the wattage values indicated (printed) on the lamps? Yes? No? Explain your answer.

Transcript text: QUESTIONS: 1. Why did the higher wattage lamp draw more current than the lower wattage lamp? Support your answer with your own lab data in tables I and II, and Ohm's Law formulas. 2. How would the current in the circuit be affected if the load were removed from the circuit (in other words, if you unscrewed the lamp from the lamp socket)? 3. Were there any differences between the resistance readings measured with the multimeter and the calculated resistance values? If so, explain why. 4. Why was the coil of ten turns of wire used in this experiment? 5. Are the calculated wattage values for the lamps the same as the wattage values indicated (printed) on the lamps? Yes? No? Explain your answer.

Solution

Solution Steps

Step 1: Understanding Why Higher Wattage Lamp Draws More Current

To understand why a higher wattage lamp draws more current, we need to use Ohm's Law and the power formula. Ohm's Law states:

\[ V = IR \]

where \( V \) is voltage, \( I \) is current, and \( R \) is resistance. The power formula is:

\[ P = VI \]

Given that the voltage \( V \) is constant for both lamps, we can express the current \( I \) as:

\[ I = \frac{P}{V} \]

A higher wattage lamp has a higher power \( P \), and thus, for a constant voltage \( V \), it will draw more current \( I \).

Step 2: Effect of Removing the Load from the Circuit

If the load (lamp) is removed from the circuit, the circuit becomes an open circuit. In an open circuit, the current \( I \) is zero because there is no complete path for the current to flow. Therefore, the current in the circuit would be:

\[ I = 0 \]

Step 3: Differences Between Measured and Calculated Resistance

Differences between the resistance readings measured with a multimeter and the calculated resistance values can occur due to several factors:

Temperature Effects: Resistance can change with temperature, and the actual operating temperature of the lamp may differ from the temperature at which the multimeter measurement was taken.
Measurement Accuracy: Multimeters have a certain tolerance and accuracy range, which can lead to slight differences.
Lamp Characteristics: The resistance of a lamp filament can change when it is heated during operation compared to when it is cold.

Final Answer

The higher wattage lamp draws more current because, for a constant voltage, a higher power results in a higher current. Using Ohm's Law and the power formula, we have:

\[ I = \frac{P}{V} \]

\(\boxed{I = \frac{P}{V}}\)

If the load is removed from the circuit, the current in the circuit would be zero:

\(\boxed{I = 0}\)

Differences between measured and calculated resistance values can be due to temperature effects, measurement accuracy, and changes in the lamp filament's resistance when heated:

\(\boxed{\text{Temperature effects, measurement accuracy, and filament resistance changes}}\)

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