2007-03-02 05:25:08 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Environment
For the same amount of heat energy produced, or removed, the A/C uses more power.
Direct conversion of electricity to heat is a near perfect (efficiency-wise) process.
Removing heat from inside to outside requires a heat engine (run in reverse), and the laws of thermodynamics require that it be less than 100% efficient.
Therefore, A/C uses more electricity (again -- for the same amount of heat produced by a heater, or removed by A/C).
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2007-03-02 05:28:27 · answer #1 · answered by tlbs101 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It depends on the temperatures involved. The heater is more efficient. But the air conditioner is usually working against a smaller temperature difference.
If it's 90 degrees out, and the air conditioner is holding the room at 75 degrees, it consumes more energy than if it's 55 degrees out, and the heater is holding the room at 70 degrees. The temperature differential is 15 degrees in each case.
But if it's 20 degrees out and the heater is holding the room at 70 degrees, that (50 degree difference) will require more energy than the air conditioner above (15 degree difference) uses.
It's rare that an air conditioner would ever see a 50 degree difference, but common for a heater.
2007-03-02 05:41:59 · answer #2 · answered by Bob 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
At the same BTU rating an air conditioner will use more electricity primary because it has moving parts and quite a bit of energy is lost as heat.
2007-03-02 05:30:00 · answer #3 · answered by Flyboy 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Are you talking about a house or a car?
For a house it depends on temperature, insulation, and how much space you're trying to heat or air condition. Plus other variables...like if there's a fan on or how humid the air is.
For a car, that one's easy: air conditioner. Heating in a car gets the heat from the engine, so no additional power is used. Air conditioning requires your car to run the engine more to provide power to the air conditioner.
2007-03-02 06:49:52 · answer #4 · answered by rob1977nc 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Air conditioner.
2007-03-02 05:28:05 · answer #5 · answered by Brian L 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
actually, you can just use the heater in the air-conditioner (the machine that expels warm air) to do things, then u can save money, but u gotto wait till i grow up and help u build one energy saving air-conditioner whilst i'd prefer to destroy all air-conditioners.
2007-03-02 07:53:30 · answer #6 · answered by sonolord 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I really dont know....GOOD QUESTION!!!
2007-03-02 05:34:03 · answer #7 · answered by Cyndi 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋