To devise an experiment to investigate on how the resistance of nichrome wire depends on its length

Physics practical coursework PLANNING Aim: To devise an experiment to investigate on how the resistance of nichrome wire depends on its length. Introduction In this physics practical coursework I will be "Investigating how the resistance of Nichrome wire depends on its length." We will be investigating via an experiment carried out in class using the apparatus available to us. We know that electrical resistances arise when there are collisions between electrons and the ions (positive cations), and we will be trying to prove this, by this experiment. The nichrome wire which we will be using will be 24 S.W.G. (standard wire gage). We will basically keep the current the same throughout the experiment, and measure the variations in voltage as the length of the wire is increased or decreased. The Variables The variables for this experiment are: -Temperature -Cross sectional area -Current in the wire -Length of wire -Diameter of wire -Type of wire We are investigating the effects of changing the length of wire, and so only this variable will be changed and experimented on! All other variables will be controlled and kept constant throughout the whole experiment. How to make experiment a fair test Since we are investigating the effects of changing the length of wire, only this variable will be changed and experimented on! All other variables will be controlled

  • Word count: 2304
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Science
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The effect on resistance when a length of wire is changed

Physics Coursework Investigating the effect on resistance when a length of wire is changed By Yasmin Alobaidi Preliminary Investigation Method Firstly, I will investigate the effect on resistance when the length of wire is changed using a power-pack setting of 2V, 4V and 6V. I will compare the results to see which setting is the most suitable. I will choose three wire lengths (short, medium, long) and test each voltage setting for each length of wire. I will carry out one test for each voltage setting. I will use these results to compare with my main investigation to ensure that the results are reliable. Prediction I predict that the 4V setting will be the most suitable because I think that the 2v setting will be too low and will not produce high enough numbers which will be harder to use to calculate the resistance and take notice of the relationship between resistance and length, and the 6V setting will be too high and produce heat energy which will affect the results. Equipment List Power pack Length of wire Ammeter Voltmeter Wires Crocodile clips Results Voltage (V) Voltage Setting (volts) Length Of Wire (mm) 2 4 6 200 .48 2.90 4.35 600 .64 3.29 5.06 000 .72 3.44 5.29 Current (A) Voltage Setting (volts) Length Of Wire (mm) 2 4 6 200 .28 2.82 4.54 600 0.72 .46 2.25 000 0.44 0.92 .45 Analysis The results show

  • Word count: 1112
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Science
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How Does the Length of a Wire Affect Its Resistance?

HOW DOES THE LENGTH OF A WIRE AFFECT ITS RESISTANCE? INTRODUCTION Resistance is the property that transforms electrical energy into heat energy, in opposing electrical current. A good conductor has a low resistance and a poor conductor has high resistance. The resistance of a wire of a certain material . increases as its cross-section area decreases, 2. depends on the material AIM My aim is to find how the electrical resistance of a wire changes in relationship to its length. PREDICTION My prediction is that if the length of a wire increases the resistance increases. I also predict that the rate at which the resistance of the wire increases will be directly proportional to the length. I predict this using the idea of free electrons, a property of the atoms of all conductors is that they have free electrons in the outer shell of their structure, as a result the outer electrons are able to move about freely even in a solid (shown below). Within the metal atoms there are free electrons, it is these free electrons which provide the conductivity of metals. The free electrons have to move in order to provide the current (shown below), the slower they move, the more the resistance, the faster they move, the less resistance. Therefore, if the wire is long then that means that the free electrons have to travel further, they have to dodge more metal atoms-this slows the

  • Word count: 793
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Science
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What factors effect the resistance of conductors

Investigation 1 - Resistance What factors effect the resistance of conductors Diagram Plan: The task of this investigation is to find out the factors that affect the resistance on conductor. This will be done by performing experiment that try and investigate different proposed factor and to see whether they affect the resistance. There are many factors that affect the resistance of an object. It is determined by the nature of the substance of which it is composed known as the resistivity, the dimension of the object include the surface area of the wire conductor and the length of the conductor. (Advanced physics, 4th addition by Tom Duncan) The factors that will be investigating will be the type of material, the cross-sectional area and the length. The reason I am not going to investigate temperature is because it is difficult to measure the temperature within a wire. (Martin) Ohm's law says that the amount of current flowing in a circuit made up of pure resistance is directly proportional to the electromotive force impressed on the circuit and inversely proportion to the total resistance of the circuit. The law is usually expressed by the formula I =V/R. Where I is the current in Ampere, v is the electromotive force in volts and R is the resistance in ohms. This enables us to work out the resistance using the current and voltage. (G C S E grade booster by Schofield

  • Word count: 1105
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Science
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Electricity production - The various methods.

Electricity Production The Various Methods There are many ways to produce electricity, although not all are in wide use. Here are some of the more popular new methods and facts about how they are used. Hydro-Electric Power Hydro-electric power plants convert the kinetic energy contained in falling water into electricity. The energy in flowing water is ultimately derived from the sun, and is therefore constantly being renewed. Energy contained in sunlight evaporates water from the oceans and deposits it on land in the form of rain. Differences in land elevation result in rainfall runoff, and allow some of the original solar energy to be captured as hydro-electric power (Figure 1). Hydro power is currently the world's largest renewable source of electricity, accounting for 6% of worldwide energy supply or about 15% of the world's electricity. In Canada, hydroelectric power is abundant and supplies 60% of our electrical needs. Traditionally thought of as a cheap and clean source of electricity, most large hydro-electric schemes being planned today are coming up against a great deal of opposition from environmental groups and native people. Wind Energy Wind power is a vast resource of clean, reliable cost effective electricity. Electricity generated from the wind does not contribute to global warming and acid rain. As part of an electrical system which has a diversity of

  • Word count: 947
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Science
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My aim is to find out what affect a length of a wire has on its resistance. The resistance will be measured by finding out the current and the voltage travailing through a wire at variable lengths.

Investigating Resistance By Chantelle Wright 0B Planning Aim My aim is to find out what affect a length of a wire has on its resistance. The resistance will be measured by finding out the current and the voltage travailing through a wire at variable lengths. I shall use 11 different lengths of wire so that I have a good range of readings and will be able to plot a line of best-fit graph from the results. The lengths will range from 10 cm to 100 cm and will have a gap of 10 cm between each length of wire so that for example I will have one wire with a length of 10 cm and the next smallest length of wire as 20 cm. I shall measure the lengths in centimetres as I want the divisions between the results clear and I believe that it will be easier to ensure that the wire is a precise number of centimetres. I am starting at 10 cm, because any length below that may be unsafe. Background knowledge Resistance is the opposition to the flow of electrons. As the electrons flow through the wire they bump into atoms. When they bump into an atom, the electron looses some energy and slows down. The resistance is directly proportional to the length of the wire, i.e. if you double one you double the other. Therefore, the longer the wire, the larger the resistance I have found out what affects the resistance from the physics book "The World of Physics" by John Avison, published by Nelson

  • Word count: 1888
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Science
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Whether the length of resistance wire affects its resistance, and if so how

Introduction Resistance wire has various uses in and around the house, including resistors, heating/lighting elements and in fuse boxes. It is made in different types and thicknesses. The resistance of a wire can be calculated using ohm's law - V/A = R, (voltage divided by amps equals the resistance of the wire.) The resistance of a wire varies depending on its length, type and thickness. Aim The aim of this investigation is to find out whether the length of resistance wire affects its resistance, and if so how. Apparatus The following is needed for the practical experiment: * A power pack * Ammeter * Voltmeter * Crocodile clips * Connecting wires * A metre rule * Various lengths of wire to test Preliminary Experiment A preliminary experiment was carried out to determine the variant in the length of wire, the power pack voltage to be used and also to find out any other changes that could be made in our final experiment. Some of the possible factors to investigate were: The length of the wire - The type of wire - The thickness of wire We took some rough results and observed different lengths and types of wire at different voltages. We concluded firstly that voltages over 6 volts and short wire lengths (under 25cm) caused overheating, and resulted in the wire snapping. We had earlier decided that the length of wire would be the easiest factor to vary,

  • Word count: 1379
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Science
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Investigating what Factors Effect the Resistance of a Wire.

Investigating what Factors Effect the Resistance of a Wire. For this investigation I am going to investigate a factor which effects resistance of a wire. Resistance is measured in ohms (?). It is a measure of how hard it is to move current through a component, it occurs when electrons travelling along the wire collides with the atoms of the wire. To choose a factor to measure I will make a list of the factors I could investigate and decide which one is best for me to investigate. . Material - The type of material will effect the type of atom in the wire, which consequently dictates the number of free electrons. I will not investigate this factor because, although recording results would be simple, no graph could be drawn, from which a connection could be made. 2. Temperature - If the wire is heated the atoms will have an increase in energy, This will cause more collisions. I wont investigate this factor either as it would be extremely hard to carry this out as a fair test, as it would be very difficult to control the temperature of the wire. 3. Wire width- if the wire width is increases then there will be more room for the free electrons to go through the wire. I will not investigate this factor either, as the graphs I would be able to draw up would be uninteresting and irrelevant. 4. Wire Length- if the length of the wire increases so will the distance the

  • Word count: 1448
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Science
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In this investigation I am going to investigate the resistance in a piece of wire. Resistance is the opposition to the flow of current and is measured in Ohms.

In this investigation I am going to investigate the resistance in a piece of wire. Resistance is the opposition to the flow of current and is measured in Ohms. I could change the material of the wire, the length of the wire, the temperature of the wire, or the area or thickness of the wire. These are all the variables that could be changed or observed in this experiment/investigation. Normally you would measure the current of the wire with an ammeter, and the voltage with a voltmeter. To work out the resistance we normally need to know the current flow and the voltage but I am going to use a multimeter that measures resistance. (V) (R) Voltage Resistance= Current (I) I am going to change the length of the wire but keep the material of the wire, the temperature of the wire and the area or thickness of the wire all the same to make it a fair test. I think that the shorter the wire the less resistance. I think its because the longer the wire the more molecules there is to get past for the current therefore the shorter the wire there is less molecules to get past. Molecules Length Current of electrons Apparatus Measuring device 3 wires Mutlimeter Method First we got all the apparatus and set it out. The multimeter gets turned to the right setting to measure resistance then the two connecting wires in the bottom hole and the second hole. We started from

  • Word count: 624
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Science
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To investigate the influence of the length of a eureka wire on it's resistance.

GCSE Physics Coursework Aim: To investigate the influence of the length of a eureka wire on it's resistance. Background Information Circuits A Series Circuit * Series go on one after the other * There can be any number of components in a circuit. * In a series circuit the current is the same everywhere * The voltage in a series circuit is shared amongst its components Parallel Circuits * Parallel circuits are side by side * All parallel branches may be connected to the supply * The current in parallel circuits splits entering the branches and then rejoins leaving the branches * The voltage supply in a parallel is roughly the same as the supply voltage Short Circuit * It is wherever the electricity has an easier path to flow along i.e. a path with low resistance * Log wires have long resistance and short wires have short resistance. * Charge flow is the flow of electrons around the circuit Conventional Current Using a millimetre Ammeter * An ammeter has to be put in series with whatever you are measuring * You measure the current going through a component. * It is measured in A, Amps * You use Com and 10ADC terminals Voltmeter * It has to be put in parallel to whatever you are measuring * You are measuring the voltage across a component * It is measured in V, Volts * You use the Com and V terminals The Standard Circuit Test * The Variable

  • Word count: 2534
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Science
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