CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL AS & A LEVEL PHYSICS: PRACTICAL TEACHER’S GUIDE

7 Resistance and
resistivity
CHAPTER OUTLINE
This chapter relates to Chapter 10: Resistance and resistivity and Chapter 11: Practical circuits,
in the Coursebook.
In this chapter learners will complete investigations on:
• 7.1 Resistivity of the metal of a wire
• 7.2 Internal resistance of a dry cell
• 7.3 Potential divider.

Practical investigation 7.1: Resistivity of the metal of

a wire
Skills focus
See the Skills grids for details of the skills developed and used in this investigation.

Duration
The practical work will take about 30 minutes; the analysis and evaluation questions will take about 30 minutes.

Preparing for the investigation

• Learners should be able to recall and use the equation R = ρAl .
• Learners should be able to draw graphs.
• Learners will investigate how the resistance of a resistance wire varies with length.
• Learners will use a micrometer to measure the diameter of the wire.

You will need

Equipment Access to
• two connecting leads • micrometer
• two crocodile clips • reel of resistance wire (36 SWG constantan diameter
• digital multimeter 0.19 mm or 32 SWG nichrome diameter 0.27 mm)
• metre rule. • adhesive tape
• scissors
• wire cutters.

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Safety considerations
There are no particular safety issues with this investigation

Carrying out the investigation

• If the wire is not straight, a length of 50 cm read from one end may not be exactly 50 cm of wire because the
wire has kinks and bows out a bit.
Learners may be unsure which range to use on the multimeter (see Investigation 1.3 Part 1).

Sample results
The data in Table 7.1 gives an idea of the results learners should obtain from the investigation.

I/m R/Ω
0.100 4.3
0.250 6.5
0.400 9.1
0.550 11.8
0.700 14.4
0.850 17.1
Table 7.1

Diameter d = 0.19 mm
Total resistance of the connecting leads = 1.1 Ω

Answers to the workbook questions (using sample results)

a A = 0.028 mm2 = 2.8 × 10−8 m2
b, c See Figure 7.1.
25

20

15

R/Ω
10

0
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0
l/m

Figure 7.1

d Gradient = 17.2
e y-intercept = 2.35
f ρ = 17.2 × 2.8 × 10−8 = 4.82 × 10−7 Ω m
g Constantan and 0.19 mm

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h 1.2 × 10−6 = 17.2 × A

A = 7.0 × 10−8 d = 0.30 mm (choose 0.27 mm or 0.32 mm)
i If ρ = 1.7 × 10−8, A = 2.8 × 10−8 and l = 1.000 m R ≈ 6 × 10−6 Ω (too small) or 17.2 × A = 1.7 × 10−8
d = 36 km (too thick)
j y-intercept and total resistance of connecting leads have similar magnitude.

Practical investigation 7.2: Internal resistance of a

dry cell
Skills focus
See the Skills grids for details of the skills developed and used in this investigation.

Duration
The practical work will take about 30 minutes; the analysis and evaluation questions will take about 30 minutes.

Preparing for the investigation

• Learners should be able to recall and use the equation V = E – Ir.
• Learners should be able to set up a circuit from a circuit diagram.
• Learners should be able to draw graphs.
• Learners should know the equation of a straight line: y = mx + c.
• Learners will investigate the change in potential difference across a dry cell with the current being drawn
from it.

You will need

Equipment
• 1.5 V cell with terminals • digital multimeter with a 0–2 V scale reading to
• switch the nearest 0.001 V
• six connecting leads • rheostat.
• digital multimeter with a 0–200 mA scale
reading to the nearest 0.1 mA

Safety considerations
Encourage learners to switch off between readings using the circuit switch.

Carrying out the investigation

• Learners may get a negative reading on the meter because it is connected into the circuit the wrong
way round.
• The reading on the voltmeter may fluctuate because the contact formed by the crocodile clips is not perfect.
Consider ways of improving contact such as placing a small nail in the rule at the 5 cm mark, soldering

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the resistance wire to the nail, and connecting one of the crocodile clips to the nail. The length l is then
measured from the nail and only one crocodile clip has to be attached to the resistance wire.

Sample results
The data in Table 7.2 gives an idea of the results learners should end the investigation with.
E = 1.495 V

Maximum voltmeter reading with switch open / V I/A V/V

1.493 0.1926 1.442
1.492 0.1740 1.443
1.490 0.1549 1.449
1.490 0.1354 1.454
1.490 0.1189 1.456
1.490 0.1075 1.460
1.490 0.0995 1.462
Table 7.2

Final voltmeter reading = 1.494 V

Resistance of connecting leads / Ω

0.4 0.4 0.7 0.4 0.5 0.4

Answers to the workbook questions (using the sample results)

a V decreases as I increases.
b, c See Figure 7.2.
1.470

1.465

1.460

V / V 1.455

1.450

1.445

1.440
0.08 0.10 0.12 0.14 0.16 0.18 0.20
I/A

Figure 7.2

d Gradient = −0.216
e r = 0.216 Ω
f y-intercept = 1.483
g E = 1.483 V

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h The initial value E = 1.495 V, the final reading shows a drop to 1.493 V. The value obtained from the
y-intercept is 1.483 V but this is less reliable because the plotted points show a slight scatter and the
intercept is a long way from the plotted points.
All the evidence suggests that the e.m.f. of the cell falls during the experiment but shows some recovery
when current is no longer being drawn from it.
i The total resistance of the connecting leads is 2.8 Ω, which is greater than the internal resistance of the
cell (0.216 Ω). However, the resistance of most of these leads just contributes to the minimum resistance
of the rheostat and does not affect the internal resistance value obtained.
j If the switch remains closed, current is drawn from the cell and its e.m.f. drops. If E is no longer
constant the relationship V = −Ir + E does not fit the equation of a straight line.

Practical investigation 7.3: Potential divider

Skills focus
See the Skills grids for details of the skills developed and used in this investigation.

Duration
The practical work will take about 30 minutes; the analysis and evaluation questions will take about 30 minutes.

Preparing for the investigation

• (
Learners should be able to recall and use the potential divider equation ER = V ρAl + R . )
• Learners should be able to set up a circuit from a circuit diagram.
• Learners should be able to draw graphs.
• Learners should know the equation of a straight line: y = mx + c.
• Learners will connect a resistance wire and a fixed resistor in series with a dry cell. They will record the
potential difference across the resistor as the length of the wire is varied.

You will need

Equipment
• the wire on the metre rule used in Practical • two crocodile clips
investigation 7.1 • 15 Ω resistor
• 1.5 V cell with terminals • component holder for the resistor
• switch • digital multimeter to measure 0–2 V to the
• six connecting leads nearest 0.001 V.

Safety considerations
Encourage learners to switch off between readings using the circuit switch.

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Carrying out the investigation

• Learners may get a negative reading on the meter because it is connected into the circuit the wrong
way round.
You will need to remind some learners to include a quantity and correct unit for the column headings
in all their tables.

Sample results
The data in Table 7.3 gives an idea of the results the learners should end the investigation with.
Initial value of E = 1.497 V

l/m V/V 1
V
/ V−1
0.200 1.158 0.8636
0.300 1.062 0.9416
0.400 0.990 1.010
0.500 0.915 1.093
0.600 0.853 1.172
0.700 0.798 1.253
0.800 0.750 1.333
Table 7.3

Final value of E = 1.496 V

Answers to the workbook questions (using the sample results)

a V decreases as l increases.
b See Table 7.3 (unshaded section).
c, d See Figure 7.3.
1.4

1.3

1.2

1 / V−1 1.1
V

1.0

0.9

0.8
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8
l/m

Figure 7.3

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e Gradient = 0.784
f y-intercept = 0.703
g E = 1.422 V
h Using A = 2.82 × 10−7, E = 1.422 V, ρ = 4.82 × 10−7 and gradient = 0.784, R = 15.3 Ω
i The final value of E is below the initial value as expected but not by much. No current was drawn from
the cell between readings so there was no need to ‘switch off’. The value of E determined from the
y-intercept is lower but only by about 5%. This value is less reliable than a direct measurement of E
because of any scatter in the plotted points. However, the value obtained from the y-intercept should be
used with the gradient to determine R to validate the theory.

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