How to Calculate Percentage Increase in Lightbulb Output Due to Voltage Surge

What happens to the output of a lightbulb when there is a voltage surge?

How can we calculate the percentage increase in the output of a lightbulb when the voltage increases?

Calculating the Percentage Increase in Lightbulb Output

When a voltage surge occurs, the output of a lightbulb will increase due to the higher voltage. To calculate the percentage increase in the lightbulb's output, we need to follow these steps:

  1. Find the resistance of the lightbulb using the formula R = V^2 / P
  2. Calculate the new power when the voltage increases using the formula P' = (New Voltage)^2 / R
  3. Determine the percentage increase using the formula: Percentage Increase = (New Power - Original Power) / Original Power * 100

Explanation of Percentage Increase Calculation

When a voltage surge produces 136V for a moment, we are given an original voltage of 120V and a power of 80W for the lightbulb. To calculate the percentage increase:

1. Calculate the resistance of the lightbulb: R = V^2 / P = (120V)^2 / 80W = 144Ω

2. Determine the new power with the increased voltage: P' = (136V)^2 / 144Ω ≈ 162.67W

3. Calculate the percentage increase: Percentage Increase = (162.67W - 80W) / 80W * 100 ≈ 103.34%

Therefore, the output of the lightbulb will increase by approximately 103.34% due to the voltage surge.

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