Which resistor in a series circuit will consume the most power?

In a series circuit, the power consumed by a resistor can be determined using the formula ( P = I^2 R ), where ( P ) is the power, ( I ) is the current flowing through the circuit, and ( R ) is the resistance of the resistor. In a series circuit, the current is the same through all components, so the power consumed by each resistor is directly proportional to its resistance value.

When evaluating the resistors provided, the one with the highest resistance will consume the most power because it has a larger value of ( R ) in the formula. In this scenario, the 25 ohm resistor has the highest resistance. Thus, when the same current flows through all resistors, the power consumed by the 25 ohm resistor will be greater than that consumed by the other resistors (1/2 ohm, 2 ohm, and 5 ohm).

This effect is due to the relationship in the equation where power increases with an increase in resistance when the current is constant. Therefore, the 25 ohm resistor consumes the most power in the series circuit as it presents the greatest resistive load to the current flowing through the circuit.