Back to homePhysics · Physics · Change subject
Start for free
Physics · Physics
Energy · Electrical circuits

Electrical power and energy consumption

An oven and an LED bulb do the same thing: they transform electricity into something else (heat, light). But the oven does it the brute-force way, while the bulb uses almost nothing. That difference is power.

Power: energy every second

If you touch a $10\ \text{W}$ LED bulb and a $1500\ \text{W}$ space heater plugged into the same $120\ \text{V}$ outlet, you notice that the heater gives off a huge amount of heat within seconds while the bulb barely gets warm: why do two appliances connected to the same voltage transform such different amounts of energy every second?

Comparison of the electrical power of three appliances at the same voltage: a 10 W LED bulb, a 1500 W hairdryer and a 2500 W oven; the area of each square is proportional to its power. Energy transformed every second (area ∝ power) LED 10 W hairdryer 1500 W oven 2500 W

In US homes, most outlets supply $120\ \text{V}$; big appliances like electric ranges and clothes dryers use $240\ \text{V}$ circuits.

Practice★☆☆Not started
A toaster connected to $230\ \text{V}$ has a current of $2\ \text{A}$ passing through it. Calculate its power in watts.

A toaster connected to $230\ \text{V}$ has a current of $2\ \text{A}$ passing through it. Calculate its power in watts.

Solve
Practice★☆☆Not started
A cell phone charger operates at $5\ \text{V}$ and delivers a current of $2\ \text{A}$. What power does it supply to the phone?

A cell phone charger operates at $5\ \text{V}$ and delivers a current of $2\ \text{A}$. What power does it supply to the phone?

Solve
Practice★☆☆Not started
Order these appliances from lowest to highest typical power: an oven ($2500\ \text{W}$), an LED light bulb ($10\ \text{W}$), a television ($100\ \text{W}$) and a hair…

Order these appliances from lowest to highest typical power: an oven ($2500\ \text{W}$), an LED light bulb ($10\ \text{W}$), a television ($100\ \text{W}$) and a hair dryer ($1500\ \text{W}$), as shown in the figure.

5001000150020002500 P (W) 2500 W10 W100 W1500 W ovenLEDtelevisionhair dryer

Which converts more electrical energy per second?

Solve

From power to current

On the rating plate of a microwave you read only "$120\ \text{V}$" and "$1200\ \text{W}$", but you need to know how many amps will flow through the cable so you don't melt a power strip: how do we work out the current if the manufacturer only gives the power?

Mnemonic triangle for P = V · I: the power P at the top, and the voltage V and the current I at the bottom, separated from P by a horizontal line and from each other by a vertical line. Triangle for P = V · I P V I Cover the quantity you want and read the operation that is left P = V · I V = P / I I = P / V
Practice★☆☆Not started
An electric heater of $1150\ \text{W}$ is connected to the $230\ \text{V}$ outlet. What current flows through it?

An electric heater of $1150\ \text{W}$ is connected to the $230\ \text{V}$ outlet. What current flows through it?

Solve
Practice★★☆Not started
An oven rated at $2300\ \text{W}$ is connected to a $230\ \text{V}$ power supply. a) What current flows through it? b) The kitchen outlet and cable can withstand up to…

An oven rated at $2300\ \text{W}$ is connected to a $230\ \text{V}$ power supply.

  1. a) What current flows through it?
  2. b) The kitchen outlet and cable can withstand up to $16\ \text{A}$: is there a risk of overload using only the oven? Justify your answer.
Solve

Power and energy are not the same thing

A powerful $2000\ \text{W}$ hairdryer used for ten minutes hardly moves the meter, whereas a fridge of just $150\ \text{W}$ switched on day and night accounts for most of the monthly bill: what quantities does the electrical energy we pay for actually depend on?

A 1 kW radiator running for 1 hour (clock face with one full turn of the minute hand) makes the electricity meter advance by 1 kWh. 1 kW for 1 h = 1 kWh
Practice★☆☆Not started
On an electric bill, consumption appears in $\text{kWh}$. Is the kilowatt-hour a unit of power or of energy? Explain in your own words what consuming $1\ \text{kWh}$…

On an electric bill, consumption appears in $\text{kWh}$. Is the kilowatt-hour a unit of power or of energy? Explain in your own words what consuming $1\ \text{kWh}$ means.

Solve
Practice★☆☆Not started
A light bulb of $100\ \text{W}$ remains turned on for $10\ \text{h}$. a) How much energy does it consume, in watt-hours? b) Express it in kilowatt-hours.

A light bulb of $100\ \text{W}$ remains turned on for $10\ \text{h}$.

  1. a) How much energy does it consume, in watt-hours?
  2. b) Express it in kilowatt-hours.
Solve

When you time an appliance with a stopwatch, your reaction time adds an uncertainty of a few tenths of a second. Report the time as $t \pm \Delta t$; the energy $E = P \cdot t$ then carries a similar relative uncertainty.

Practice★☆☆Not started
A fan rated at $50\ \text{W}$ is turned on for $4\ \text{h}$. How much energy does it consume? Express it in $\text{Wh}$ and in $\text{kWh}$.

A fan rated at $50\ \text{W}$ is turned on for $4\ \text{h}$. How much energy does it consume? Express it in $\text{Wh}$ and in $\text{kWh}$.

Solve

The cost on the electric bill

Flow diagram illustrating the calculation of electricity cost by multiplying the energy used in kilowatt-hours by the price per kilowatt-hour to obtain the total amount in dollars. Step 1. Energy used: 240 kWh Step 2. Price: 16¢/kWh = 0.16 dollars per kWh 240 kWh × 0.16 = 38.40 dollars
Practice★★☆Not started
A heater rated at $1200\ \text{W}$ is turned on for $2\ \text{h}$ a day during a month of $30$ days. a) Express its power in kilowatts. b) Calculate the energy it uses…

A heater rated at $1200\ \text{W}$ is turned on for $2\ \text{h}$ a day during a month of $30$ days.

  1. a) Express its power in kilowatts.
  2. b) Calculate the energy it uses in the month, in $\text{kWh}$.
  3. c) If the price is $0.20\ \text{\$/kWh}$, how much does this usage cost?
Solve
Practice★★☆Not started
An LED lamp rated at $10\ \text{W}$ provides the same light as an old bulb rated at $60\ \text{W}$, and both are turned on for $5\ \text{h}$ a day. a) Calculate the…

An LED lamp rated at $10\ \text{W}$ provides the same light as an old bulb rated at $60\ \text{W}$, and both are turned on for $5\ \text{h}$ a day.

  1. a) Calculate the energy consumed by each one in a month of $30$ days, in $\text{kWh}$.
  2. b) With $\text{kWh}$ at $0.20\ \text{\$/kWh}$, how much money is saved per month with the LED?
Solve
Practice★★☆Not started
We leave the house for a whole day and accidentally leave a $100\ \text{W}$ lamp turned on for $10\ \text{h}$. a) How many $\text{kWh}$ has it consumed? b) How much…

We leave the house for a whole day and accidentally leave a $100\ \text{W}$ lamp turned on for $10\ \text{h}$.

  1. a) How many $\text{kWh}$ has it consumed?
  2. b) How much money have we wasted, at $0.20\ \text{\$/kWh}$?
Solve

Saving energy: labels and comparisons

Simplified EnergyGuide label showing estimated yearly energy use in kWh and estimated yearly cost, with an ENERGY STAR mark. ENERGY LABEL Estimated yearly energy use 420 kWh Estimated yearly cost $67 ENERGY STAR Lower kWh = lower bill
Practice★☆☆Not started
On the energy rating label of a refrigerator, a letter between A and G appears. a) What does this letter indicate? b) Which letter should be chosen to pay less on the…

On the energy rating label of a refrigerator, a letter between A and G appears.

  1. a) What does this letter indicate?
  2. b) Which letter should be chosen to pay less on the electric bill? Why?
Solve
Practice★★☆Not started
The label of a new refrigerator indicates a consumption of $150\ \text{kWh}$ per year, whereas the old one at home consumes $450\ \text{kWh}$ per year. a) How many…

The label of a new refrigerator indicates a consumption of $150\ \text{kWh}$ per year, whereas the old one at home consumes $450\ \text{kWh}$ per year.

  1. a) How many $\text{kWh}$ are saved each year with the new one?
  2. b) How much money does this saving represent at $0.20\ \text{\$/kWh}$?
Solve
Practice★★★Not started
An old television consumes $300\ \text{kWh}$ per year and a new LED television consumes $100\ \text{kWh}$ per year. The new television costs $\$400$ and $\text{kWh}…

An old television consumes $300\ \text{kWh}$ per year and a new LED television consumes $100\ \text{kWh}$ per year. The new television costs $\$400$ and $\text{kWh}$ is priced at $0.20\ \text{\$/kWh}$.

  1. a) How much money is saved each year with the new television?
  2. b) How many years will it take for the savings to offset the cost of the television?
  3. c) Do you think the replacement is worth it? Explain your answer using the data.
Solve

Not overloading the installation

Stacked bars of the hair dryer's power (1500 W) and the microwave's power (1200 W) compared with the circuit's maximum, 1800 W: their sum, 2700 W, exceeds it. hair dryer 1500 W microwave 1200 W maximum 1800 W sum: 2700 W exceeds the maximum excess: 900 W
Practice★★☆Not started
A ceramic cooktop rated at $2\ \text{kW}$ operates for $15\ \text{min}$. a) Express this time in hours. b) Calculate the energy consumed, in $\text{kWh}$. c) How much…

A ceramic cooktop rated at $2\ \text{kW}$ operates for $15\ \text{min}$.

  1. a) Express this time in hours.
  2. b) Calculate the energy consumed, in $\text{kWh}$.
  3. c) How much does it cost at $0.20\ \text{\$/kWh}$?
Solve
Practice★★★Not started
At Sophia's house, the following are used every day: an oven rated at $2\ \text{kW}$ for $1\ \text{h}$, ten LED bulbs rated at $10\ \text{W}$ turned on for $5\ \text{h}$…

At Sophia's house, the following are used every day: an oven rated at $2\ \text{kW}$ for $1\ \text{h}$, ten LED bulbs rated at $10\ \text{W}$ turned on for $5\ \text{h}$ and a refrigerator rated at $200\ \text{W}$ operating for $24\ \text{h}$.

  1. a) Calculate the $\text{kWh}$ consumed by each appliance per day.
  2. b) How many $\text{kWh}$ are consumed in total in a month of $30$ days?
  3. c) How much is the bill for the month at $0.20\ \text{\$/kWh}$?
Solve
Practice★★★Not started
A home electrical system allows a maximum of $3450\ \text{W}$ at any one time; if this is exceeded, the circuit breaker trips and the power goes out. The mains supply is…

A home electrical system allows a maximum of $3450\ \text{W}$ at any one time; if this is exceeded, the circuit breaker trips and the power goes out. The mains supply is $230\ \text{V}$. The diagram compares the power rating of the appliances with that maximum.

1000200030004000 P (W) 2300 W2000 W1150 W ovenwashing machinemicrowave maximum 3450 W
  1. a) What maximum current does the electrical system allow?
  2. b) Can we use the oven ($2300\ \text{W}$) and the washing machine ($2000\ \text{W}$) at the same time? Justify your answer with numbers.
  3. c) What about the oven together with the microwave ($1150\ \text{W}$)?
Solve

Back to the start: The oven ($2500\ \text{W}$) uses $2.5\ \text{kWh}$ in just one hour (about $\$0.40$ at $\$0.16$ per $\text{kWh}$), whereas an LED bulb ($10\ \text{W}$) would have to be on for $250\ \text{hours}$ in a row to reach that same cost.

Summary

See all the exercises in this section