2006-12-17 05:36:49 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
- adding more or less light bulbs to a circut
2006-12-17 05:40:51 · update #1
Sorry, your question is just a little too simple-minded to answer properly. How about a schematic since you don't seem able to express the problem in words?
2006-12-17 06:53:27 · answer #1 · answered by ? 6 · 3⤊ 2⤋
To what?
If you are talking about the electrical system on a motor vehicle, it would make no difference as long as the engine were running because the current supplied is governed by a voltage regulator which senses the demand, and supplies it up to a point.
In the days prior to regulated current, when you made a long trip in your motor car you kept your lights on to prevent overcharging and ruining the battery.
If you are speaking of a simple battery + lights system with no added power, the more lights you add the quicker the battery will discharge whether they are wired parallel , unless the wattage of the bulbs is decreased as more are added to keep the draw constant. Wired parallel, total resistance goes down and the power is used more quickly. Wired in series, heat dispersian is more efficient but resistance increases. The battery will discharge without producing as much light.
Batteries are often rated by amp-hours.
A 30 amp-hour battery will supply one amp for 30 hours, or 30 amps for 1 hour in theory.
Power is measured in watts, which are found as the products of amps and volts. You can work backward from that to find the amperage draw of a bulb of known wattage.
2006-12-17 13:38:31 · answer #2 · answered by Gaspode 7 · 3⤊ 2⤋
I will assume you are talking about a series circuit. More batteries does NOT increase current in the circuit. Potential drop across the circuit is constant. If each light has a resistance of 1 unit and the batteries potential is 10 units. Than one light would have a current of 10 units, two a current of five units, three a current of 3.3 units, and so on.
Since power dissapated by the lights is P = I^2*R, more lights would use less power from the battery. So in series more lights will make the battery last longer.
2006-12-17 15:13:02 · answer #3 · answered by msi_cord 7 · 0⤊ 3⤋
it depends how you add them. if you add them in series like a chain one after another, the total resistance will be higher and the battery would last longer, but the bulbs would be dim. If you put them in parallel, the total resistance will be lower and the battery will drain faster.
in short, a battery will last longer for
series: more bulbs
parallel: less bulbs
2006-12-17 14:55:07 · answer #4 · answered by Physics Major 4 · 1⤊ 5⤋
Each lamp that you add to a circuit increases the current flow. Therefore, a battery will last longer with fewer lamps (assuming that all of the lamps are the same wattage)
2006-12-17 13:40:12 · answer #5 · answered by Tim E 3 · 0⤊ 5⤋
It doesn't make a difference. Either way the battery is providing the same amount of current, regardless of the load.
2006-12-17 13:40:10 · answer #6 · answered by Carp Face 4 · 0⤊ 6⤋
Less cuz you drain lesser energy from the battery.
2006-12-17 13:38:55 · answer #7 · answered by cinabolic 3 · 0⤊ 5⤋
Less of course, the more current you draw, the quicker the supply will delete.
2006-12-17 13:38:40 · answer #8 · answered by boker_magnum 6 · 0⤊ 5⤋