UNIT 4 – PHYSICAL WORLD Calculating electrical power
To calculate the electrical power (P) of an appliance, you need to know the voltage (V) of the power supply it runs off and how much current (I) it uses (measured in amps).
power = voltage × current P = V × I
EXAMPLE
Question Calculate the electrical power of a microwave that is connected to a power supply of 230 V and uses a current of 6 A.
Solution power = voltage × current power = 230 V × 6 A power = 1380 W
) Fig. 32.3
FIGURE IT OUT!
Calculate the electrical power of each of the following appliances: 1. A freezer that is connected to a power supply of 140 V and uses a current of 0.75 A. 2. A kettle that is connected to a power supply of 230 V and uses a current of 10 A. 3. An electric blanket that is connected to a power supply of 110 V and uses a current of 1.2 A. 4. A dishwasher that is connected to a power supply of 120 V and uses a current of 10 A.
CONCENTRATE! The following triangle is a useful tool for remembering the formulae for calculating the current an appliance uses, and the voltage (potential difference) applied across the appliance. Simply cover the quantity you want to measure with your finger and use the formula that you can still see.
FIGURE IT OUT!
1. Copy the following table and use the formulae for calculating current and electrical power to complete it:
Appliance TV
Hairdryer Oven
Voltage (V) 230 230 230
Current (A) 4.5
12 2. What is the pattern between the power rating of these appliances and the current used? Power (W) 460