GCSE Physics Coursework - Resistance of a Wire Coursework
Resistance of a Wire
Task
To investigate how the resistance of a wire is affected by the length of the wire.
Theory
What is resistance?
Electricity is conducted through a conductor, in this case wire, by means of free electrons. The number of free electrons depends on the material and more free electrons means a better conductor, i.e. it has less resistance. For example, gold has more free electrons than iron and, as a result, it is a better conductor. The free electrons are given energy and as a result move and collide with neighbouring free electrons. This happens across the length of the wire and thus electricity is conducted. Resistance is the result of energy loss as heat. It involves collisions between the free electrons and the fixed particles of the metal, other free electrons and impurities. These collisions convert some of the energy that the free electrons are carrying into heat.
How is it measured?
The resistance of a length of wire is calculated by measuring the current present in the circuit (in series) and the voltage across the wire (in parallel). These measurements are then applied to this formula:
V = I ´ R where V = Voltage, I = Current and R = Resistance
This can be rearranged to:
R = V
I
Ohm’s Law
It is also relevant to know of Ohm’s Law, which states that the current through a metallic conductor (e.g. wire) at a constant temperature is proportional to the potential difference (voltage). Therefore V ¸ I is constant. This means that the resistance of a metallic conductor is constant providing that the temperature also remains constant. Furthermore, the resistance of a metal increases as its temperature increases. This is because at higher temperatures, the particles of the conductor are moving around more quickly, thus increasing the likelihood of collisions with the free electrons.
Variables
Input:
Length of wire. *
Material of wire.
Width of wire.
Starting temperature of wire.
Output:
and thus the resistance of the wire. †
Voltage across wire.
Current in circuit.
Temperature of wire.
The variable marked with a * will be varied, the other input variables will be kept constant. The output variable marked with a † will be measured.
Predictions
The longer the wire, the higher the resistance. This is because the longer t...
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... more of the connections could have been faulty, causing extra resistance at the connections. A solution to this would be to, before each experiment, connect the connections together without the wire in place and measure the resistance then. If it is higher than it should be then the connections could be cleaned.
Whilst extremely unlikely, it is conceivable that the power supply was providing a different voltage for some of the results. This is unlikely to be a problem in this investigation but it might have been an issue had we used batteries instead.
NB: If one were to assume that Ohm’s Law applies, then another possible explanation could be that at some points (more likely in the lower lengths), the wire was not allowed to cool completely so that the temperature was higher for that measurement. Whilst unlikely (due to the two sets of results), this would cause a higher resistance as explained previously. However, it is now known, after researching the metal alloy “constantan,” that the resistivity (the electrical resistance of a conductor of particular area and length) of this alloy is not affected by temperature. Therefore, in these experiments Ohm’s Law does not apply.
I also decided to use a wooden block to keep hold of the wire, because
The input variables are the ones that I can change in order to affect the experiment and the outcome variables are the ones I will measure to see how the input variable has affected it. Input Variables --------------- Amount of calcium carbonate Amount of hydrochloric acid Surface area of calcium carbonate Concentration of hydrochloric acid Temperature of hydrochloric acid Introduction of a catalyst Outcome variables ----------------- Amount of calcium chloride released Amount of water released Amount of carbon dioxide released Change in weight
The experiment will require both the readings of voltage and current in order to produce the value of resistance according to the formula;
For any electric circuit, which consists of various passive elements (i.e. resistors, capacitors and inductors) the behaviour of the whole circuit to an applied ac voltage, is dependent upon both the behaviour of individual elements, and also on their arrangement in the circuit with respect to each other. If a dc direct voltage is applied to the elements that comprise the equivalent circuit, the resulting current can be measured using Ohms law.
longer it will take electrons to get to the end of the wire. This is
Conduction, convection and radiation are the three methods through which heat can be transferred from one place to another. The (www.hyperphysics.com) first method is the conduction through which heat can be transferred from one object to another object. This process is defined as the heat is transmitted from one to another by the interaction of the atoms and the molecules. The atoms and the molecules of the body are physically attached to each other and one part of the body is at higher temperature to the other part or the body, the heat begins to transfer. A simple experiment through which conduction can be understood easily is as follows. First of all, take a metallic rod of any length. Hold the rod in the hand or at any stand made up of the insulator so that the heat does not transfer to the stand. Heat up the one end of the rod with the help of the spirit lamp. After sometime, touch the other end of the end, the other end of the becomes heated too and the temperature of the other end of the rod has also increased. Although only one end of the rod is heated with the spirit lamp, but the other end of the rod has also been heated. This is represents that the heat has been transferred from one end of the rod to the other end of the rod without heating it from the other end. So, the transformation of the heat is taking place. This process is called the conduction. Conduction is a process which is lead by the free electrons. As the conduction happens occurs only in the metallic materials, the reason for it is that the metals has the free electrons and they can move freely from one part of the body to another part of the body. These electrons are not bounded by the nucleus so, they can move easily. And when the temperature of the ...
could have lost a test-tube or labeled it wrong causing the results to be mixed.
Conduction, convection and radiation are the three methods through which heat can be transferred from one place to another. The (www.hyperphysics.com) first method is the conduction through which heat can be transferred from one object to another object. This process is defined as the heat is transmitted from one to another by the interaction of the atoms and the molecules. The atoms and the molecules of the body are physically attached to each other and one part of the body is at higher temperature to the other part or the body, the heat begins to transfer. A simple experiment through which conduction can be understood easily is as follows. First of all, take a metallic rod of any length. Hold the rod in the hand or at any stand made up of the insulator so that the heat does not transfer to the stand. Heat up the one end of the rod with the help of the spirit lamp. After sometime, touch the other end of the end, the other end of the becomes heated too and the temperature of the other end of the rod has also increased. Although only one end of the rod is heated with the spirit lamp, but the other end of the rod has also been heated. This is represents that the heat has been transferred from one end of the rod to the other end of the rod without heating it from the other end. So, the transformation of the heat is taking place. This process is called the conduction. Conduction is a process which is lead by the free electrons. As the conduction happens occurs only in the metallic materials, the reason for it is that the metals has the free electrons and they can move freely from one part of the body to another part of the body. These electrons are not bounded by the nucleus so, they can move ea...
When we place two objects with different temperatures in contact with each other, the heat from the hotter object will immediately and automatically flow to the colder object. This is known as conduction. Some objects make excellent conductors of heat while others make poor conductors of heat or excellent insulators. Silver, copper, and gold make excellent conductors of heat. Foams and plastics make good insulators of heat but make poor conductors. Last night for dinner, I made myself a grilled cheese sandwich and a bowl of tomato soup. I heated the soup faster than I cooked the sandwich so I poured the hot soup into a bowl and finished cooking the sandwich. Once I was done cooking, I gabbed the soup bowl and burned my hand. The heat from the soup made the bowl hot. This is an example of conduction.
Type TWP (Thin Wall Thermoplastic) Wires: These wires are used in automotive applications that require minimal weight and small diameter. These wires are rated in the temperature range of -40°C to 105°C.
Independent variables: The temperature of hcl gas will be decreased and increased throughout the experiment.
In order to decide upon the voltage and lengths of wire to use in the
V = I ´ R where V = Voltage, I = Current and R = Resistance
Most materials fall into two categories: conductors and insulators. These materials conduct or do not conduct electricity, respectively. Now, how well this electricity can flow through a conductor is a measure known as resistance. Electricity flows by raising electrons from a lower energy level to a higher energy level in the atoms of ...
Before Kamerlign Onnes, in 1908, was able to liquefy helium and bring its temperature down to about 1K, it had been known that the resistance of a metal falls when cooled below room temperature. However, it was not known what value the resistance would approach if the temperature was reduced towards 0K until Onnes, while experimenting with platinum, discovered that, its resistance fell when cooled to a very low value that depended on the metal’s purity.