I am going to investigate the factors that affect how well graphite coated paper conducts electricity. Graphite Paper is paper coated with graphite on one side; it is a semi-conductor.

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I am going to investigate the factors that affect how well graphite coated paper conducts electricity.

Graphite Paper is paper coated with graphite on one side; it is a semi-conductor.

        

I will be investigating how the width of the graphite paper affects the current and the resistance. I will also be investigating how the temperature of the graphite paper affects the resistance.

The resistance of a conductor is defined by: -

                                                                             

                                                

                                      R =

V is p.d across paper

        I is current through paper

A current only flows between two points if the electrical potentials at the two points are different. The higher the potential difference at one point, the faster the current will flow between them. If the two points have equal electrical potentials, no current will flow between them.

Just imagine the wire to be a plank of wood; and the current to be a ball. If there is no potential difference between the two ends of the plank, the ball will not roll to either side.

 If the potential of one side of the plank is made bigger, the ball will roll towards the other side.

The more the potential on one side is increased, the faster the ball will roll to the other side.

There are some variables I will have to keep constant throughout my two experiments, in order too keep it a fair test.

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When changing the width of the paper, the variables I will have to keep constant are: -

  1. The length of the graphite paper.
  2. The temperature of the graphite paper.        
  3. The voltage.(For the investigation of current and width)

When changing the temperature of the paper, the variables I will have to keep constant are: -

  1. The length of the graphite paper.
  2. The width of the graphite paper

Predictions

I predict that when the width of the graphite paper is made smaller, the current will go down. This is because ...

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