1.

a) Approximately 41.66 A of current must be supply in order for a 12 V car battery to

power a 500W flood lamp. P=I I=P/ =500W/12V=41.66 A.
b) It depends whether you hook up the two flood lamp in series or parallel to each other.
If it is in series, the total current is 20.83 A. The resistance for each individual lamp can
be calculated using I= V/R R= V/I =12V/41.66A=0.288 ohm. The Req for the series
is 0.576 ohm. So the total current is I=12V/0.576ohm=20.83A.
If the lamps are parallel to each other then the total current will be 83.33A.
Req=0.144ohm, I=12V/0.144ohm=83.33A.
2.
D>C>B=A
The current from the battery is split at the junction between A,B and C (and they are
parallel with each other). C has half the resistance and twice the current as A and B so it
is brighter than A and B. D will receive the current passed through C and A and B so it is
the brightest.
3.
When you close the switch, initially the current is at 'Io', as time pass, 'I' will decrease
exponentially. This is because when the switch is closed, the capacitor begins to charge
and develop a potential difference that opposes the current and cause it to decrease
while potential difference increase.
4. B
5.
I am a little confused on how to rank the brightness of the light bulb (resistor) in a circuit
with a combination of parallel and series resistors.