Which statement correctly describes the relationship among voltage, current, and horsepower?

• A. If voltage increases and current decreases proportionally, horsepower stays the same.
• B. If voltage increases, current must always increase.
• C. Horsepower is independent of voltage and current.
• D. Increasing voltage always increases wire size.

Answer: (A)

Power in an electrical system is the product of voltage and current (P = V × I), and horsepower is proportional to that electrical power (ignoring efficiency losses). If voltage goes up while current falls in just the right way so that V × I stays the same, the electrical power delivered—and thus the horsepower that can be generated—stays the same. This reflects how horsepower tracks the actual power available, not voltage alone.

The other statements don’t fit. Increasing voltage doesn’t force current to rise; for the same power, higher voltage means lower current (I = P/V). Horsepower isn’t independent of voltage and current because it’s tied to how much electrical power is being supplied. And increasing voltage doesn’t automatically require a larger wire size; since current can decrease with higher voltage for the same power, you can use smaller wire gauge to handle the reduced current.