Why does a low wattage bulb glow brighter than a high wattage bulb in series connection?

Replies

• 

  Jeffrey Arulraj

  Low watt CFL bulb grows brighter than ordinary filament bulb cos they use different principle than that of filament lamps
• 

  lal

  Well, let us consider two bulbs in series. A low wattage bulb has higher resistance than the high wattage bulb.
  
  When connected in series, the same current will be flowing through both bulbs. Let it be I.
  
  Power output = I X I X R
  
  R is higher for low wattage bulb. So It will glow brighter.
• 

  Sindhu Chowdary

  The higher-wattage lamp has a lower resistance than the lower-wattage lamp. So, when they are connected in series, the larger voltage drop (IR) will appear across the lower-wattage lamp. As power is proportional to the square of the voltage, it is the lower-wattage lamp that will be the brighter.