Q. How is resistance affected by changing the length of a piece of nichrome wire in a simple circuit?

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Q. How is resistance affected by changing the length of a piece of nichrome wire in a simple circuit?

Problem: I have been asked to investigate how resistance is affected by changing the length of nichrome in a simple circuit.

What is resistance?

Resistance is anything that slows down the flow of electrons/current. This is called a resistor. Resistors are either small pieces of material or long coiled pieces of wire that don’t conduct electricity very well. For example, bulbs do not conduct electricity as well as a piece of copper mainly because copper contains loads of free electrons.

Examples of resistors:

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  • Hairdryer
  • Toaster
  • Filament in a bulb

The filament in a bulb is a great example of a resistor. It is a very thin wire so it slows down the flow of electrons and takes energy away from the electrons as they struggle to get through it. The energy is then changed to heat and light.  

Current:

The flow of electrons in a circuit is called the CURRENT. Current is measured using an ammeter. Current is measured in units called AMPS.

Voltage:

Voltage is the amount of energy that the electrons have. It is measured ...

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Punctuation, grammar and spelling all to a very good standard. The format of the essay is good, but the glare of the wordart in the table does not look professional.

The candidate explains the concept of resistance very well giving good examples of how this will be tested in their experiment. They also state why resistance varies between materials with good scientific depth. They also accurately define voltage and current. They state which factors may affect the experiment and account for them which is very good to show that they understand factors relating to the experiment and it will also make their results more reliable and accurate. Their prediction is done well. The table is laid out well for results.

A very well laid out essay. Results are consistent with decimal places which means that their result calculations will be more accurate. To improve the candidate should have included an evaluation to give insight into how they would have improved the experiment and explain why factors they think may have affected their results showing greater scientific understanding of the process. A conclusion would also tie up loose ends and state whether their prediction was correct.