Skip to main content

Electrician Red Seal · Question

A 120 V AC circuit feeds a heater rated at 1500 W. An electrician replaces the heater with a new one that also operates at 120 V AC but is rated for 2000 W. Assuming both heaters are purely resistive, what is the approximate percentage change in the resistance of the new heater compared to the old one?

Resistance R = V²/P. For the old heater, R_old = (120 V)² / 1500 W = 14400 / 1500 = 9.6 Ω. For the new heater, R_new = (120 V)² / 2000 W = 14400 / 2000 = 7.2 Ω.

Start free practice for Electrician Red Seal

150 questions · no signup required · 40 free questions per day

Start Practice →

Question: A 120 V AC circuit feeds a heater rated at 1500 W. An electrician replaces the heater with a new one that also operates at 120 V AC but is rated for 2000 W. Assuming both heaters are purely resistive, what is the approximate percentage change in the resistance of the new heater compared to the old one?

Answer options: ✅ Resistance decreased by 25%.

  • Resistance increased by 33%.
  • Resistance decreased by 33%.
  • Resistance increased by 25%.

Correct answer: Resistance decreased by 25%.

Explanation: Resistance R = V²/P. For the old heater, R_old = (120 V)² / 1500 W = 14400 / 1500 = 9.6 Ω. For the new heater, R_new = (120 V)² / 2000 W = 14400 / 2000 = 7.2 Ω. The percentage change is ((R_new - R_old) / R_old) * 100% = ((7.2 - 9.6) / 9.6) * 100% = (-2.4 / 9.6) * 100% = -25%. Thus, the resistance decreased by 25%.

Start free practice for Electrician Red Seal

150 questions · no signup required · 40 free questions per day

Start Practice →

More about Electrician Red Seal

Related Questions

More for Electrician Red Seal candidates

Ready to practice?

Free, no signup required. Build a wrong-question list as you go.

Start Free Electrician Red Seal Practice →

Related courses

Other Canadian certifications candidates often prepare for alongside this one.