Electric Potential Car Battery Problem

Click For Summary

Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around a problem involving a 12V car battery and its capacity to deliver charge measured in ampere-hours. Participants are exploring how to convert ampere-hours into coulombs and the implications of this conversion for calculating energy based on electric potential.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Mathematical reasoning

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the relationship between ampere-hours and coulombs, with some attempting to clarify the basic definitions and conversions involved. There are questions about the calculations leading to the total charge in coulombs and hints about dimensional analysis.

Discussion Status

The discussion is active, with participants offering hints and clarifications regarding the conversion process. There is an acknowledgment of confusion around the units and calculations, but no consensus has been reached on the correct approach yet.

Contextual Notes

Some participants express uncertainty about the relationship between time and charge in the context of ampere-hours, indicating a need for further exploration of the definitions and calculations involved.

maphco
Messages
24
Reaction score
0

Homework Statement


A particular 12V car battery can send a total charge of 84 A-h (ampere-hours) through a circuit, from one terminal to the other. (a) How many coulombs of charge does this represent? (b) If this entire charge undergoes a change in electric potential of 12V, how much energy is involved?


Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution


I'd just like some advice in starting the question, simply because I'm not accustomed to working in Ampere-hours. Just a hint would do nicely.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Ampere-hours = 1A*1h
so, they multiplied their current by the time
and now just use simple formulas ..
i = change in q/change in time ..
 
I'm still not sure how thew book gets an answer of 3.0 x 10^5 C
 
Anyone got any other hints?
 
I think an amp is 1 coulomb per second. What do you think it is? That's a hint, son.
 
So for an hour the charge would be 84 * 60?
 
It would be if an hour were equal to 60 seconds. But it isn't.
 
Last edited:
Ohhhhhhhhhhhh, alright, I get it. It's a simple dimensional analysis problem. Yeesh, why didn't I realize that...
 

Similar threads

Replies
4
Views
2K
  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
2K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
2K
  • · Replies 12 ·
Replies
12
Views
1K
  • · Replies 12 ·
Replies
12
Views
2K
  • · Replies 22 ·
Replies
22
Views
4K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
5K
  • · Replies 58 ·
2
Replies
58
Views
6K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
2K