Wire From 100 Cm example essay topic

516 words
Aim: In this investigation I want to find out how the length of a wire affects the resistance. Resistance: is a force that resists the flow of the current in a wire. Resistance = Voltage / Current R = V I Factors: The factors I think that will affect what happens in the investigation are: 1. The thickness of the wire. 2.

The length of the wire. 3. Whether or not it is a good conductor. 4. The temperature of the wire. A Fair Test: To keep the investigation a fair test I will only change one factor at a time, the factors I will keep the same are: 1.

The voltage (p. d) 2. The same type of wire (nichrome) 3. The same thickness of wire. 4. The same current. The one factor I will vary is the length of wire.

Prediction: I predict that as the length of the wire increases, so will the resistance. I think this because in a longer wire, there are more wire particles that electrons can bump into. Resistance is caused by electrons colliding with wire particles. Therefore, if there are more wire particles, there is a greater chance of an electron colliding with a wire particle.

Also, the current flowing in a wire is proportional to the P. d across it. Apparatus: o Power Supply o Wires o Metre stick o Light bulb o Sellotape voltmeter ammeter o Crocodile Clips nichrome Wire Method: I will first of all carry out the practical work I am required to do for this investigation. I will set up the circuit (see Diagram) with a Voltmeter and a Ammeter connected. I set it up by: getting the metre stick and measuring out 100 cm of nichrome and sticking it down to the stick. Then I clipped two crocodile clips, one on each side then connected in the Voltmeter and Ammeter using wires which I plugged into the power pack / supply which was plugged into the mains. Starting at 100 cm of nichrome I will work down to 10 cm and at every 10 cm I will take five readings from the Voltmeter and Ammeter.

I put the results in a table (see Results) and using them I worked out resistance for each reading using the formula R = V / I and then an average. Using the average resistance readings I drew a graph (see Results). Measurements: The things I will have to measure are: the Volts and Amps and on each interval I take to take a reading I will have to take 5 readings of each Volts and Amps, so I can work out the resistance, then I will have 5 resistance readings from this is I will work out an average resistance. Also I will also be measuring the wire from 100 cm down to 10 cm. Diagram: This is how I will set up my circuit:.