How Many Coulombs Can Flow Through a 15A Breaker Before It Trips?

[DrummingAtom]

Homework Statement

Given a 15A breaker, what is the max number of coulombs that can flow through before the breaker trips?

Homework Equations

i = dq/dt
A = C/s

The Attempt at a Solution

No time value is given so I can't integrate dq = i dt from any limits.

Is the right thing to just say it's 15 coulombs if we assume that the breaker will trip in a second?

Thanks

 

[PeterO]

Homework Statement

Given a 15A breaker, what is the max number of coulombs that can flow through before the breaker trips?

Homework Equations

i = dq/dt
A = C/s

The Attempt at a Solution

No time value is given so I can't integrate dq = i dt from any limits.

Is the right thing to just say it's 15 coulombs if we assume that the breaker will trip in a second?

Thanks

I think you need a time reference. If 1 Coulomb went through in a billionth of a second that should trip it?

 

[gneill]

The question is not well posed. Surely, the current can flow indefinitely as long as it doesn't ever exceed the breaker's rating, thus the maximum coulombs would be indefinite.

Now, if the question wanted to know the maximum number of coulombs per second, that would be a horse of different color!

 

[SammyS]

If the current is less than (or equal to) 15 A, then the circuit breaker shouldn't trip at all. The number of coulombs that can flow through the circuit breaker is limited only by the amount of time the current flows.

 

[DrummingAtom]

There is no time reference, which is why I'm pulling my hair out. I'll disregard this one. Thanks everyone.