A 1500-W electric heater is plugged into the outlet of a 120-V circuit that has a 20-A circuit breaker. You plug an electric hair dryer into the same outlet. The hair dryer has power settings of 600 W, 900 W, 1200 W, and 1500 W. You start with the hair dryer on the 600-W setting and increase the power setting until the circuit breaker trips. What power setting caused the breaker to trip?

Short Answer

Expert verified

the power setting that caused the breaker to tip is 900W

Step by step solution

01

definition of power

Amount of energy transferred per unit time.

Heater with power =1500W

Outlet voltage =120V

Current =20A

Dryer has power settings of 600W,900W,1200W and 1500W.

02

Step 2:

Relation between power and current is,

P=VI

l=pv=1500W120V=12.5A

Total current allowed is 20A

Current through dryer must be less than,

20A-12.5A=7.5A

Power dissipated is,

P=VI=(120V) (7.5A) =900W

P=v2RV is constant 120V

Thus, the power setting that caused the breaker to tip is 900W.

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