Chronology Current Month Current Thread Current Date
[Year List] [Month List (current year)] [Date Index] [Thread Index] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Date Prev] [Date Next]

Re: [Phys-l] cars and physics



Another interesting problem is cheap (10 gauge) jumper cables versus better (6 or 4 gauge) cables and their effectiveness (considering the voltage across the cable) in jumping a car with a really dead battery. Conclusion should be "spend the extra bucks to get the thicker cables." You need to look at the current drawn by the starter, which can be from 75 to 120 amperes. Students are amazed at how low the resistance is/needs to be.

-----Original Message-----
From: phys-l-bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu [mailto:phys-l-bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu] On Behalf Of Bernard Cleyet
Sent: Sunday, February 20, 2011 7:51 PM
To: Forum for Physics Educators
Subject: Re: [Phys-l] cars and physics

Until my auto tool kit disappeared, I had two non-insertion DC ammeters. One +/- ~ 30A and tother 200?
I compared them to an insertion one (d'Arsonval w/ shunt and found them w/in ~ 1/4 the ticks. e.g. not bad. w/ such the students can do the measurements!

bc thinks obvious why the Auto Store had these two.


On 2011, Feb 20, , at 14:03, Anthony Lapinski wrote:

I'll be teaching electricity in the coming weeks. Wanted to do some basic
math problems involving the electrical system of an automobile with a 12-V
battery. Does anyone know the power (or current) of car devices, or a web
site that would have this information?

radio
low beams (50 W?)
high beams (60 W?)
heater
air conditioner
rear window defroster (72 W?)
cigarette lighter

_______________________________________________
Forum for Physics Educators
Phys-l@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu
https://carnot.physics.buffalo.edu/mailman/listinfo/phys-l


_______________________________________________
Forum for Physics Educators
Phys-l@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu
https://carnot.physics.buffalo.edu/mailman/listinfo/phys-l