Investigating the Resistance of Wires
Aim:
To investigate how the diameter of a constantan wire will affect its
resistance and hence the current flowing through it.
Prediction:
I predict that the thicker the diameter the less resistance there will
be.
Reason:
In a metal, some of the electrons are free to move between the ions,
to form a "sea" of electrons around the positive metal ions. Metals
that are good conductors have more "free" electrons and therefore
these electrons move easily around the positive metal ions. However in
metals that have fewer "free" electrons, the ions act as obstacles to
the flow of electrons and therefore the wire has resistance. The
current becomes stronger with the more electrons that flow through a
wire in one second. As the diameter increases the electrons will have
more available routes between the ions to pass through per second,
making the electron flow greater hence the current becoming stronger.
See figures 1 and 2:
[IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE]
In a larger diameter, there
[IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE]Figure
1: are more routes for free
[IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE]
electrons to travel
[IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE]
through.
[IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE]
In a smaller diameter,
[IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE]Figure
2: there are fewer routes
[IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE]
for the free electrons
[IMAGE] to travel through.
Plan:
I will set up a circuit consisting of a cell, ammeter, voltmeter and
50cm of constantan wire. The diameters I will use are as follows.
0.56mm, 0.43mm, 0.38mm, 0.32mm, 0.27mm and 0.20mm. I will measure
these diameters with a micrometer. I will take three readings of the
current and potential difference for each different diameter of the
wire and take an average for V (potential difference measured by a
voltmeter) and I (current measured by an ammeter) in order to get the
most accurate results possible. I will then plot these results in two
graphs one plotting V against I and another plotting the average
resistance (using ohm's law R=V/I) against the diameter.
I also decided to use a wooden block to keep hold of the wire, because
longer it will take electrons to get to the end of the wire. This is
From this I can tell I can use 3 volts and resistance wire that is
have to be across the wire and not just anywhere in the circuit so it
there will be. So if the length of the wire were to double, so would
V is voltage in volts and I is current in amperes. L:- is the length
50cm for us. The current will be kept on the same level using the same
Factors Affecting the Resistance of a Wire The aim of this experiment is to investigate one factor that affect the resistance of a wire. I will do this by performing an experiment. First I will need to identify the factors that effect resistance. There are a few factors that affect the resistance, it is determined by the properties an object has.
Relationship Between the Resistance and the Length of a Wire Aim: To find the relationship between the resistance of the wire and
Investigating the Effect the Thickness of a Wire has on Its Resistance. Equipment:.. Nickel Wire cut into 10 pieces of 30cm length (Ruler, Pliers). Two crocodile clips Five Pieces of Wire Power Source Variable Resistor Ammeter Volt Meter Method: The.. =
An Investigation into the Relationship Between the Resistance of a Wire and Its Diameter and Length
Investigating the Factors that Affect the Resistance of a Wire. Aim To study the factors that affect the resistance of a wire. Background Information Current and potential differences measure different things. they are related to each other.
The aim of this investigation is to find out how the length of a wire
Investigating the Relationship Between the Length of a Wire and Its Resistance Aim: To find the relationship between the length of a wire and it’s resistance. Planning: We conducted a preliminary experiment to help us conduct the real experiment. In this preliminary experiment we aimed to find out what thickness and type of wire would be suitable for the experiment, and what range of lengths of wire and range of voltages and currents would be suitable for measuring. We discovered that at too great a voltages and too short a length, the wire became very hot. One time it melted, in a way similar to a fuse, because of the hot temperature, but this was only when we tested a length of 2cm.
of the atoms, so if there are more or larger atoms then there must be