A 150 watt, 120 volt lamp burns for 8 hours at rated voltage. What is the total energy used in watts/hour?

To determine the total energy used by the lamp in watts/hour, we start by noting that wattage is a measure of power, which is the rate of energy consumption. The lamp's rating of 150 watts means it consumes 150 watts continuously while it operates.

When the lamp burns for a duration of 8 hours, we can calculate the total energy used by multiplying the power rating (in watts) by the time (in hours) it operates. The formula is:

Total Energy (in watt-hours) = Power (in watts) × Time (in hours)

Substituting the values:

Total Energy = 150 watts × 8 hours = 1,200 watt-hours

The question asks for the total energy used in watts/hour. Since we calculated watt-hours, this value can also be expressed as the average power consumed over the entire usage period. Thus, we can reaffirm that the total energy used by the lamp, when burning for 8 hours at its rated power, is indeed 1,200 watts/hour.

This understanding clarifies why the chosen answer is the correct one, as it accurately represents the total energy consumed by the lamp over the specified duration.