# A vacuum cleaner and a filament lamp are both connected to the mains electricity supply. Describe the useful and wasted energy transfers that occur in each appliance, and state which appliance you would expect to have the higher power rating. Justify your answer.

> AQA GCSE Physics (8463) — 4.2.4 Energy transfers in everyday appliances · Describe · 4 marks

## Mark scheme (4 marks)

1. A vacuum cleaner usefully transfers electrical energy to kinetic energy (to move air/spin the motor).
2. A filament lamp usefully transfers electrical energy to light energy, but wastes (the majority of) energy as thermal energy / heat.
3. Both appliances waste some energy as thermal energy (vacuum cleaner wastes energy as heat/sound; filament lamp wastes energy as heat).
4. The vacuum cleaner has the higher power rating because it transfers more energy per second / requires more energy to operate its motor than the lamp requires to produce light.

## Key terms

- [power rating](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/glossary/power-rating)
- [wasted energy](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/glossary/wasted-energy)

## Related

- [Revision notes for AQA GCSE Physics (8463)](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/learn)
- [How to answer "Describe" questions](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/tools/command-word-cheatsheet)
- [Practice this with AI marking (free)](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/start)

---
Source: [GradeNine](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/q/a-vacuum-cleaner-and-a-filament-06668398) · Published by Druglandscape Ltd.