Question
You are an electrical engineer working for the Canadian Space Agency. Your job is to design a circuit for the lights in a rover for the moon in the cheapest way possible. Which type of circuit should you use if you want to save money by using fewer parts? Why would this circuit be cheaper?
Solution
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Ruby
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Answer
an electrical engineer for the Canadian Space Agency designing a rover's lighting circuit for lunar missions, cost-effectiveness is paramount. A **series circuit** would be the cheapest option for this application.Here's why:* **Fewer Components:** A series circuit requires only one path for the current to flow. This means you can connect all the lights in a single loop using minimal wiring and no extra components like junctions or branches. This directly translates to lower material costs and less weight, which is crucial for space missions.* **Simpler Design:** Series circuits are inherently simpler to design and implement than parallel circuits. This simplicity reduces engineering time and complexity, further contributing to cost savings.However, it's important to acknowledge the drawbacks of a series circuit for this application and consider mitigation strategies:* **Single Point of Failure:** If one light in a series circuit fails (burns out), the entire circuit breaks, and all the lights go out. This is a significant concern for a rover operating in a harsh environment like the moon. *Mitigation:* Redundancy can be introduced by having multiple independent series circuits for different lighting zones. This would limit the impact of a single bulb failure.* **Dimming Lights:** As more lights are added to a series circuit, the overall resistance increases, and the current decreases, making all the lights dimmer. *Mitigation:* Carefully select the voltage source and bulb specifications to ensure adequate brightness even with all lights in the series. Using LEDs, which are highly efficient and require less current, can also help.* **Non-Independent Control:** In a series circuit, you can't control each light individually. They are either all on or all off. *Mitigation:* Again, dividing the lights into separate series circuits can provide some level of independent control for different lighting zones.While the single point of failure is a serious consideration, the cost and weight savings of a series circuit can be significant, especially for a rover where every gram and dollar counts. By carefully considering the drawbacks and implementing appropriate mitigation strategies, a series circuit can be a viable and cost-effective solution for lunar rover lighting.