Re: brightness vrs. power

[brian whatcott <inet@INTELLISYS.NET>]

At 15:16 5/4/00 -0400, Robert wrote:
> Unless I'm mistaken (if I am, I'm sure someone will correct me)...
/snip/
> > you are comparing a single light bulb...
> > >  ---------------X-------------
> > >
> > > with the following series-parallel configuration...
> > >
> > >            /-----X------X-----\
> > >       -----                    -------
> > >            \-----X------X-----/
> > [snip]
> >
> > That's right. If the power dissipated is greater, the beginning
> > student should expect the four lights to be brighter. They aren't.
>
> Actually, I thought beginning students would guess (assuming constant
> resistance) that the total current in each case would be the same and so
> each light bulb in the second circuit would be half as bright as the lone
> light bulb in the first circuit.

> | Robert Cohen

If Robert believes that beginners expect twice the illumination from the
 same electrical power input to a series parallel arrangement of four bulbs
 as to a single bulb, does he give them too little credit, or do we give
him too much? :-)


brian whatcott <inet@intellisys.net>
Altus OK