Resistance Of a Wire

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The resistance of a wire I will be conducting an experiment to explore the resistance of a wire. My prediction for this experiment is that the resistance will increase when the length is also increased. Electricity is the flow of electrical power or charge, it is both a basic part of nature and one of our most widely used forms of energy. What flows through the wire is known as an electron. Electrons are tiny particles that move around randomly, this is also known the flow of electrons, which is an electric current. If the electrons do not move the current will not run. The energy given to the electrons is called the voltage. Voltages can be described as the potential energy that makes the electrical current flow in a circuit by pushing the electrons around. How can resistance be calculated To calculate resistance we use ohm’s law. Resistance = voltage/ current Preliminary experiment Aim: to see how the length affects the resistance of the wire Apparatus: wooden wire, thin copper wire, sellotape, ammeter, voltmeter. Crocodile clips and variable resistor Method: Fix the copper wire on to the metre ruler using the sellotape. * The first crocodile clip is clipped to the wire at 30cm where it will stay throughout the experiment. * The second crocodile clip is clipped to the appropriate position depending on the required length of the wire, e.g. on my table the first length is 10cm so that is where it will be placed. * After this the power supply must be turned on so that the voltage and current can be read off the ammeter and the voltmeter, then recorded. * The power supply must then be turn off, the second crocodile clip must be moved to the next position, and the process must be continued until all needed results have been recorded. Results : Using example 1 from my table ; at 10cm my mean resistance

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