Brightest Light Quiz
April 1964 Popular Electronics

April 1964 Popular Electronics Table of Contents Wax nostalgic about and learn from the history of early electronics. See articles from Popular Electronics, published October 1954 - April 1985. All copyrights are hereby acknowledged.

This "Brightest Light Quiz" created by Robert Balin appeared in the April 1964 issue of Popular Electronics magazine. I might have titled it "The Brightest Bulb in the String Quiz" in reference to the saying about how "bright" someone is or is not. Figuring out the answer is a relatively simple matter of determining which branch of the circuit has the most current flowing through it. Some, like circuit A, are pretty easy by noting that all the current flows through just one of the bulbs, so that has to be the brightest. Re-drawing, either mentally or on paper, helps with circuits C, G and J and a few others. Un-cross lines and/or combine nodes with no bulb between them that are at the same potential. Circuit J is probably the most challenging, so re-drawing it is worthwhile.

Brightest Light Quiz

By Robert P. Balin

In each of the circuits (A -J) to the left, all of the bulbs have the same voltage and current rating. Because of the way in which they are connected, however, one bulb in each circuit lights up brighter than the others. Can you find it? Check the bulb you think is the bright one.

See answers below.

Quizzes from vintage electronics magazines such as Popular Electronics, Electronics-World, QST, and Radio News were published over the years - some really simple and others not so simple. Robert P. Balin created most of the quizzes for Popular Electronics. This is a listing of all I have posted thus far.

Brightest Light Quiz Answers

A - 2

B - 4

C - 3

D - 4

E - 4

F - 1

G - 4

H - 2

I - 3

J - 4

Posted March 9, 2023