Physics

This problem is about Joule heating—the conversion of electrical energy into thermal energy as current flows through a resistive material. The key insight is that power dissipated in a resistor is $P = I^2R$, and multiplying that power by the time interval gives you the total energy converted. Think of it as: the more current, the more collisions between electrons and atoms; the more resistance, the harder those collisions; and the longer it runs, the more total heat accumulates.

This problem is about Joule heating—the conversion of electrical energy into thermal energy as current flows through a resistive material. The key insight is that power dissipated in a resistor is $P = I^2R$, and multiplying that power by the time interval gives you the total energy converted. Think of it as: the more current, the more collisions between electrons and atoms; the more resistance, the harder those collisions; and the longer it runs, the more total heat accumulates.