Question: Finding Current in Series Circuit with Household Appliances

[yuvlevental]

Homework Statement

What current would flow in an ordinary 115 V household circuit, if a 1385 W hair drier and a 625 W microwave oven were operating simultaneously on this line?
Answer: 17.48 A

How much current would the hair drier and microwave from the previous question draw, if they were connected to the 115 V line in series?
Answer: Unknown

Homework Equations

P=IV, V=IR

The Attempt at a Solution

I'm looking for an answer to the second question. Aren't the first and second questions the same? I can't see the difference...

 

[mgb_phys]

What a dumb question!
What they want you do is calculate the restance of them assuming the powers given above, then calculate the series resitance and use that with 115v to get a power.

 

[yuvlevental]

thanks, but you don't have to be so mean! sheesh! We all make stupid mistakes

 

[colin.mcenroe]

I think he was referring the question in your text, not your question about the question.

 

[mgb_phys]

Sorry I meant it was a stupid question in the book - you don't connect 115V ac appliances like that. I would have been tempted to say 0A because the microwave wouldn't turn on!

It's the sort of thing that puts people off physics - they think it's all just trick questions, when you are supposed to ignore friction here or assume the weight of the rope doesn't matter there.