Which scenario will drain the battery in the circuit diagram fastest: three 20 W bulbs in positions one, two, and three or 80 W bulbs at positions 1 and 3 with a gap at position two? How do you know?

The first scenario will drain the battery faster.

Explanation:

The first scenario, since the three bulbs would be connected in series, there is no interruption in the circuit and the current can flow freely around the circuit. While in the second scenario there is an open gap, where the passage of the current is interrupted and therefore bulbs located in spaces 1 and 3 would not work.

initial speed when it is dropped is 150 ft/s

now at the same moment the acceleration due to gravity is perpendicular to its velocity

so as we know that

now we have centripetal acceleration a = 32 ft/s^2 as its perpendicular to velocity

while tangential acceleration at the same moment will be zero

so

now radius of curvature is given as

so the radius of curvature just after it is dropped is 703.125 ft

you can cut your hand off if your not