Investigate and measure the resistance in nichrome wire of different thickness, used in the circuit.

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Affects on Resistance Investigation.

Aim: To investigate and measure the resistance in nichrome wire of different thickness, used in the circuit.

Resistance is something that slows down the flow of electrons in the circuit.

“The greater the resistance the more voltage is needed to push a current through the wire”

Therefore the resistance of a wire is calculated by:

The four main factors, which affect resistance, are resistance are thickness, length, conductors and temperature.

A thin wire has more resistance than a thick wire. So as the thickness increases the resistance decreases.

As cross sectional area increases, the resistance decreases” (PFY)

So by doubling the wire, the resistance becomes weaker, as it has two paths for the electrons to flow through. My preliminary experiment shows that the thicker the wire the more current goes through it. This is because the electrons have a larger travelling path. In thin wires the electrons have smaller space to flow, therefore the resistance is higher.

A longer wire has more resistance than a shorter wire, so therefore as stated in PFY book “As the length of the wire increases, the resistance increases” 

This means that as the length of the wire increases, it resists the flow in the circuit, therefore the resistance increases.

Conductors play an important role in resistance. Conductors, which are poor, have more resistance. A preliminary experiment of conductors and resistance showed us that a good conductor has less resistance than a poor conductor like nichrome. A piece of nichrome wire has much more resistance than a copper wire of the same size. This is why nichrome is used in the heating elements of fire (PFY). This is also why copper is mostly used for connecting wires. The results of my preliminary experiment and this research have helped me come to the conclusion that I should use nichrome wire for this investigation

The resistance can also be affected by temperature change. A hotter piece has more resistance than a colder piece. “ The resistance increases as the temperature increases” (PFY)

Resistors are used in circuits to reduce the current in a current. Resistors can come in two forms. These are “fixed” and “variable” resistors.

Variable resisters are called ‘rheostat’. These are used to vary the current in a circuit. ‘As the sliding contact moves, it varies the length of wire in the circuit’.

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To calculate resistance, which is measured in Ohms (  ), you would have to connect all the series components first and lastly add a voltmeter parallel to the resistor.

As the sliding contact moves, it varies the length of wire in the circuit.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

‘Moving through a resistor, electrons keep bumping into atoms. This makes the resistor hotter’

The number component also changes the resistance in the circuit. As the components increase, the resistance increases as well. As the resistance increases, the current decreases.

Prediction: After looking and researching ...

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