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SIGNATURE: -------------------------------------------
The main objective of carrying the experiment out is to determine the resistivity of a known wire of
known material and to study the relationship of resistance with area of cross-section and the length.
INTRODUCTION
Resistivity is the ability of a material to behave as a resistor. The resistance of a material is dependent on
a number of factors such as temperature, cross-section area and length. The relationship between
resistance length and cross-section area gives the resistivity of a material.
THEORY
Ohm’s law describes the relationship between the resistance R of a wire, the voltage drop across it, V,
and the current through the wire, I. This is formally given by
R = V/I
The resistance of the wire is a function of both geometry of the wire and the material that the wire is
made of.
For a given wire of fixed length, the electric current passes easily through the larger area of cross section
as compare to the smaller area of cross-section. Hence, the relationship between the crosssectional area
(A) and electrical resistance (R) can be written as
1
Rα
A
But for given wire with fixed area of cross-section, the wire of longer length (l) will have more electric
resistance as compared to the wire of shorter length and their relationship can be written as:
𝑅 ∝ 𝑙.
But,
L
R=ρ A
Where ρ is proportionality constant and is known as the resistivity. Resistivity is material specific and is
defined as the resistance of a wire of unit length and unit cross-section area. Its SI unit is Ω.m
TOOLS AND ACCESSORIES
TOOLS
Pliers.
Steel rule
ACCESSORIES
Multi-meter.
PROCEDURES
DATA PRESENTATION
Aluminum wire
0.2 5.90
0.3 6.50
0.4 7.35
0.5 7.60
0.6 8.25
0.7 8.60
0.8 8.82
0.2 10.15
0.3 10.95
0.4 11.35
0.5 11.78
0.6 11.95
0.7 12.63
0.8 12.90
Nichrome wire
0.2 14.05
0.3 14.15
0.4 14.60
0.5 14.80
0.6 14.90
0.7 14.90
0.8 14.98
0.2 12.15
0.3 13.40
0.4 13.45
0.5 13.50
0.6 13.5
0.7 14.3
0.8 15.5
18 A Graph of resistance against the length for four different wires
16
14
12
10
Resistance
6
Aluminum wire
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Length
Slope= Y2-Y1/X1-X2
The experiment is carried out using a multimeter by determining the resistance of the wires at different
lengths by increasing the length step by step. A graph of resistance against resistance is then used to
determine the resistivity of the wires by determining the slope of the graph and then multiplying it with
the area.
The resistance is directly proportional to length and area is inversely proportional to resistance.
From the experiment, the factors affecting resistance of a material are; type of material, cross-section
area and length of a material.
The 7- strand copper wire has a lower resistance compared to the single strand because cross-section
area is inversely proportional to resistance thus since the 7-strand wire has a larger cross-section area
the resistance is lower.
The graph is of straight lines because resistance is directly proportional to the length.
RESULTS AND OBSERVATIONS
It was observed that the graphs were of straight line and that the resistance decreased with increase in
cross-section area. The values of the resistances also varied with different materials thus the factors
affecting the resistance were determined.
SOURCES OF ERRORS
Errors in determining the diameter of the different wires due to zero error of the micrometer screw
gauge.
RECCOMMENDATIONS
Ensure that the zero error is added or subtracted from the reading made.
CONCLUSION
The factors influencing the resistance of a material were understood and the concept of resistance was
differentiated from resistivity. Learners were able to learn how to determine the resistivity by
formulating from the concepts taught.
REFERENCES
https://www.docsity.com/en/resistivity-lab-report/7448088/
https://academics.uccs.edu/rtirado/PES_2160_Lab/Pes_2160_Lab6.pdf