A Battery Has an Emf $\varepsilon = 12 \mathrm {~V}$ And an Internal Resistance

Multiple Choice

A battery has an emf $\varepsilon = 12 \mathrm {~V}$ and an internal resistance $r = 2.0 \Omega$ , as shown in the figure. When a $3.0 - \Omega$ cable is connected across the battery terminals $a$ and $b$ , the rate at which chemical energy in the battery is depleted is closest to

A) $27 \mathrm {~W}$ .
B) $29 \mathrm {~W}$ .
C) $24 \mathrm {~W}$ .
D) $32 \mathrm {~W}$ .
E) $34 \mathrm {~W}$ .