Just saw this Thread, and wanted to add some techno-babble to it!
Yes, the 40 Watt Lamp will burn brighter than the 60 Watt Lamp, in fact - almost twice as much!
Here's why:
40 Watt Lamp will draw 14.4 Watts of True Power, and the 60 Watt Lamp will draw only 9.6 Watts - while in this series setup.
Here's the figures:
40 Watt Incandescent Lamp (resistive load):
359.28 Ohms (figured at operating temperature),
60 Watt Incandescent Lamp (also resistive load):
240 Ohms (also figured at operating temperature).
Both Lamps in Series connection results in a total Resistance of 600 Ohms (599.28 actual Ohms). 359.28 Ohms + 240.0 Ohms = 599.28 Ohms (round off to 600 Ohms).
Rt = 600 Ohms.
Total Amperes across this Resistance at 120V = 0.2 Amperes.
It = 0.2 Amps.
Voltage drop across each Element in this Network:
Voltage across 40 Watt Lamp = 72 Volts.
360 Ohms with 0.2 Amps flowing = 72 Volts.
Voltage across 60 Watt Lamp = 48 Volts.
240 Ohms with 0.2 Amps flowing = 48 Volts.
Wattage across Elements:
14.4 Watts across the "40 Watt" Lamp
(72 Volts × 0.2 Amps),
9.6 Watts across the "60 Watt" Lamp
(48 Volts × 0.2 Amps).
Total Wattage in this Node: 24 Watts @ 120 Volts.
***Note: Even without all this math and nonesense, the fact still remains:
The Load With The Higher Impedance / Resistance Will Have A Higher Potential (Voltage) Impressed Across It, When Connected In A Series Fashion.
(not the exact statement, but you get the point!)
So, without even doing the math, one could just simply say "The 40 Watt Lamp Will Be Brighter" and not worry about being wrong!
Throw in some variables, now the odds may change!
Scott35
p.s. Paul;
The smaller Cap has the higher Voltage?
It's being influenced by the fields of both the other Cap and the supply?
Also it holds a lower charge, therefore is a higher Reactance / Impedance (ooops, sorry...opposition... forgot about the DC!!!).
Scott35