Find current with give volts and kWh

In summary, the conversation discusses a typical American family's monthly electricity usage and how to calculate the average current in the power line to the house using the equation P=IV. The solution involves converting kWh to W and considering the number of hours in a month. The final answer is 1095 W.
  • #1
cwesto
18
0

Homework Statement



A typical American family uses 800 kWh of electricity a month.
What is the average current in the 120 V power line to the house?

Homework Equations



P=IV

The Attempt at a Solution



800kW=800000W
800000=120I
I=[tex]\frac{800000}{120}[/tex]

I'm getting this answer as incorrect. I'm not sure what to do from here. Help Please, Thanks!
 
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  • #2
kWH is a measure of energy = kW (power) * hours (time)
 
  • #3
so how do I get from kWh to W?
 
  • #4
1KWh is 1Kw for 1 hour.
If they use a total of 800 kWhours for the whole month, how much do they use each hour?

hint - how many hours in a month?
 
  • #5
approx. 30.44 days in a month 30.44*24=730.56 hours in a month. 800000Wh/730.56h = 1095 W! oh... lol. DUH! Thanks! :D
 

1. How do you calculate current using volts and kWh?

To find the current, divide the power in kilowatt-hours (kWh) by the product of the voltage in volts (V) and the time in hours (h). This can be represented by the formula: Current (A) = Power (kWh) / (Voltage (V) * Time (h)).

2. What is the relationship between volts, kWh, and current?

Volts (V) and kilowatt-hours (kWh) are measures of electrical potential and energy, respectively. Current (A) is the rate at which electrical energy is flowing. The relationship between these three units can be described by the formula: Power (kWh) = Voltage (V) * Current (A) * Time (h).

3. How can I convert kWh to amps?

To convert from kilowatt-hours (kWh) to amps (A), divide the power in kWh by the product of the voltage in volts (V) and the time in hours (h). This can be represented by the formula: Current (A) = Power (kWh) / (Voltage (V) * Time (h)).

4. Can I use this formula to find current in a DC circuit?

Yes, this formula can be used to find the current in both AC and DC circuits. However, in DC circuits, the power (kWh) is usually measured in watts (W) instead of kilowatt-hours (kWh). Therefore, the formula would be: Current (A) = Power (W) / Voltage (V).

5. Is it possible to find current without knowing the voltage and kWh?

No, it is not possible to find the current without knowing at least two of the three variables: voltage, kilowatt-hours, and time. Without this information, it is not possible to accurately calculate the current flowing through a circuit.

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