It has been proposed to use large inductors as energy storage devices. (a) How much electrical energy is converted to light and thermal energy by a 150-W light bulb in one day?

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the power rating of the light bulb and the time duration for which it is used. In this case, the power rating is 150 watts and the time duration is one day, which is 24 hours.
2. Convert the time from hours to seconds because the standard unit of time in physics calculations is seconds. Recall that 1 hour equals 3600 seconds.
3. Use the formula for electrical energy, which is given by the equation $E = P \times t$, where $E$ is the energy in joules, $P$ is the power in watts, and $t$ is the time in seconds.
4. Substitute the values of $P$ and $t$ into the equation to calculate the total energy consumed by the light bulb.
5. Understand that the electrical energy used by the light bulb is converted into light and thermal energy, as light bulbs are not 100% efficient and produce heat as well as light.

Key Concepts

Electrical Energy

Electrical energy is the energy derived from electric potential energy or kinetic energy of charged particles. It is measured in joules (J) and can be calculated using the formula E = P × t, where E is energy, P is power in watts, and t is time in seconds. Understanding this concept is crucial for determining how much energy a device consumes over a specific period.

Power

Power is the rate at which energy is transferred or converted and is measured in watts (W), where 1 watt equals 1 joule per second. In the context of the light bulb, the power rating indicates how much electrical energy it uses per unit of time. This concept is essential for calculating the total energy consumed by the bulb over a day.

Time Conversion

Time conversion is the process of converting time units to facilitate calculations. In this case, converting one day into seconds (1 day = 86400 seconds) is necessary to use the power formula effectively. This concept is important for ensuring that the units are consistent when calculating energy consumption over a specified duration.