A 15 amp circuit breaker trips in home when the current through it reaches 15 Amp. What is the minimum number of 100 watt light bulb operated at 120 volts in home that will cause it to the trip? Where N number of bulbs____

Explanation

To solve the problem, we need to determine how many 100-watt light bulbs can be connected to a circuit before the 15 amp circuit breaker trips. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of the solution:

### Step 1: Understand the relationship between power, voltage, and current
We know that the power (P) consumed by an electrical device is given by the formula:
\[ P = V \times I \]
where:
- \( P \) is the power in watts (W),
- \( V \) is the voltage in volts (V),
- \( I \) is the current in amperes (A).

### Step 2: Calculate the current drawn by one light bulb
Given that each light bulb has a power rating of 100 watts and operates at a voltage of 120 volts, we can rearrange the formula to find the current drawn by one bulb:
\[ I = \frac{P}{V} \]
Substituting the values:
\[ I = \frac{100 \, \text{W}}{120 \, \text{V}} \]
\[ I = \frac{100}{120} = \frac{5}{6} \, \text{A} \]

### Step 3: Determine the total current for N bulbs
If \( N \) is the number of bulbs, the total current drawn by \( N \) bulbs can be expressed as:
\[ I_{\text{total}} = N \times I_{\text{one bulb}} \]
Substituting the current for one bulb:
\[ I_{\text{total}} = N \times \frac{5}{6} \]

### Step 4: Set the total current equal to the circuit breaker limit
The circuit breaker trips at 15 A, so we set the total current equal to 15 A:
\[ N \times \frac{5}{6} = 15 \]

### Step 5: Solve for N
To find \( N \), we can rearrange the equation:
\[ N = 15 \times \frac{6}{5} \]
\[ N = 18 \]

### Conclusion
The minimum number of 100-watt light bulbs that can be operated at 120 volts before tripping the 15 amp circuit breaker is **18 bulbs**.

---