If the electric potential across a resistor is increased by a factor of 4,how does this affect the power dissipated?
A)It decreases by a factor of 4.
B)It increases by a factor of 4.
C)It decreases by a factor of 8.
D)It increases by a factor of 16.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The power dissipated by a resistor is given by P = V^2/R, where V is the voltage across the resistor and R is the resistance of the resistor. If the electric potential across a resistor is increased by a factor of 4, the voltage across the resistor will also increase by a factor of 4, causing the power dissipated to increase by a factor of 16 (power is proportional to the square of the voltage). Therefore, Answer D is the correct choice.

If the Electric Potential Across a Resistor Is Increased by a Factor