The current in the bulb with the resistance of 400 Ω is 0.3 A, while the current in the bulb with the resistance of 800 Ω is 0.15 A.
What is power?
Power is the rate at which the energy is been transformed or transferred per unit time.
A.) As we know that the bulbs are connected in series, therefore, the equivalent resistance of both the bulbs can be written as,
R_e = R_1 + R_2\\\\R_e = 400 +800\\\\R_e = 1200\rm\ \Omega
As the voltage is known to be 120 V, while the equivalent resistance is 1200 Ω. therefore, the current can be written as,
V = I \times R_e\\\\I = \dfrac{V}{R_e}\\\\I = \dfrac{120}{1200}\\\\I = 0.100\rm\ A
Since the current in the circuit is constant, the current in the two bulbs is the same.
B.) We know that the equation of power for the circuit can be written as
\rm P = I \times V = I^2 \times R
Since the resistance in the first bulb is of R = 400 Ω, therefore, the power in the first bulb can be written as,
P_{400} = 0.1^2 \times 400\\\\P_{400}= 4.00\rm\ W
The power in the second bulb with resistance, R = 800Ω can be written as,
P_{800} = 0.1^2 \times 800\\\\P_{800}= 8.00\rm\ W
C.) The total power dissipated in both bulbs can be written as,
P_t = I^2 \times R_e\\\\P_t = 0.1^2 \times 12\\\\P_t = 12.0\rm\ W
D.) We know when the bulbs are connected in parallel. therefore, the voltage in each bulb is constant,
I = \dfrac{V}{R}
The current in the bulb with the resistance of 400 Ω,
I_{400} = \dfrac{V}{R_{400}}\\\\I_{400} = \dfrac{120}{400}\\\\I_{400} = 0.300\rm\ A
The current in the bulb with the resistance of 800 Ω,
I_{800} = \dfrac{V}{R_{800}}\\\\I_{400} = \dfrac{120}{800}\\\\I_{400} = 0.15\rm\ A
Hence, the current in the bulb with the resistance of 400 Ω is 0.3 A, while the current in the bulb with the resistance of 800 Ω is 0.15 A.