THE FACTORS AFFECTING A CONDUCTOR RESISTANCE AT CERTAIN

TEMPERATURE
1. The resistivity of the 2. Conductor length :
conductor (the type of The electric resistance is
material and its directly proportional to the
temperature). length of the conductor.
L L
R=ρe
A
=ρ e
πr
2
Slope ¿
Δ R ρe
=
ΔL A

4. Cross-section of the conductor : 3. The radius of the conductor :

The electric resistance is inversely The electric resistance is inversely
proportional to the cross-sectional proportional to the square of the
area of the conductor. radius of the conductor.

ΔR ΔR ρe l
¿ =ρe l ¿ =
Slope
( )
π
Slope Δ( )
1
A
1
Δ 2
r

R R

l 1
A

R ρe ¿ σ
R

ρe 1
l or 1
2
r
for different materials A

Page 1 of 13
 THE RESISTIVITY OF THE CONDUCTING MATERIAL
It’s the resistance of a conductor of length one meter and cross-sectional area one meter
square at certain temperature. Electric
Resistance
 The resistivity is measured in Ohm . meter (Ω . m).
 Example :
Calculate the radius of the copper wire of uniform cross-sectional area if its length is 25 m
and its resistance is 0.1 Ω.
(Where the resistivity of the copper ¿ 1.68 x 10−8 Ω.m)

 Answer :
−8
l=25 m R=0.1 ρe =1.68 x 10 Ω .m r=?

ρ e l ρe l
R= =
A π r2

√ √
−8
ρe l 1.68 x 10 x 25
r= = =1.16 x 10−3 m
πR 22
( ) x 0.1

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7

THE ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY OF CONDUCTING MATERIAL

- It’s the reciprocal of the resistivity, Or it’s the reciprocal of the resistance of a conductor of
length 1 m and cross-sectional area 1 m2 at certain temperature.

 The factors affecting the resistivity or the conductivity of a conductor :

 The type of the material of the conductor. 2. The temperature of
the conductor
2
 ρe = R A (Ω . m )Ω. m
L m

1 l
 σ = ρ = R A ( Ω . m ) Simon . m
−1 −1 −1

 Example :
e

A wire of length 50 m, radius 0.5 cm and electric resistance 2 Ω, find:

A) The resistivity of the wire material. B) Its electrical conductivity.

Page 2 of 13
 Notation 1 of 5 :
 If the wire is coiled as a circular coil of N turns and radius rcoil :
l wire=2 π r coil N

N is the number of turns & rcoil is the radius of the coil.

Where: r coil

¿) is the circumference for the single turn.

wire
 Example :
A wire of cross-sectional area 10-6 m2 and material resistivity 10-7 Ω.m is coiled in the form

V across the terminals of the battery, Calculate the then electric current
of circular coil of radius 7/22 m and number of turns 50 turn, the potential difference is 60

intensity that passes through the wire.

Answer :
−6 2 −7 7
A=10 m ρ e=10 Ω. m r coil = N=50 V =60V I =?
22

22 7
l wire=¿ 2 π r coil N=2 x x x 50=100 m
7 22

ρ e l 10−7 x 100 V 60
R= = =10 Ω I= = =6 A

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A 10
−6
R 10

 Notation 2 of 5 :
 To determine the resistance R using mass, volume and density of the
material:
2 2
ρ e l ρ e l ρe l ρ vol m
R= = = where: A= ∧vol=
A vol m l ρ

ρ e l ρ e vol ρe m vol m
R= = = where :l= ∧vol=

 Example :
2 2
A A ρA A ρ

A copper wire of length 50 cm and material density 8600 kg/m3 carries

an electric current, so it has a resistance of 2 Ω, calculate the mass of
the wire.
 Knowing that the resistivity of the copper = 1.79 x 10 -8 Ω.m
Answer :
3 −8
l=50 cm ρ=8600 kg/m R=2 Ω ρ e=1.79 x 10 Ω .m m=?

Page 3 of 13
 2 2
ρ e l ρ e l ρe l ρ
R= = =
A vol m
2
ρe l ρ 1.79 x 10−8 x (50 x 10−2 )2 x 8600 −5
m= = =1.92 x 10 kg

 Notation 3 of 5 :
R 2

 To compare between the resistances of two conductors: (using

Notation 2)
2 2
R 1 ρ e1 l1 A 2 ρe1 l 1 r 2 ρe1 ρ1 l 1 m2
= = =
R 2 ρ e2 l2 A1 ρe2 l 2 r 12 ρe2 ρ 2 l 22 m1

 Example :
Two copper wires, the length of the first is 10 cm and its mass is 0.1 kg,
the length of the second is 40 cm and its mass is 0.2 kg, Compare
between the resistance of each of them.
 Answer :
R1
l 1=10 cm m1=0.1 kg l 2=40 cm m2=0.2 kg =?
R2

& The two wires are made of the same

2
ρel ρ
R=

material
m

ρe1=ρe2∧ρ1 =ρ2

2
R 1 l 1 m2 102 x 0.2 1
= = =
R 2 l 22 m1 40 2 x 0.1 8

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Notation 4 of 5 :
 If a wire is reformed (stretched) such that both its length and cross-
sectional area changes in value while its volume remains constant.

vol1=vol2

l1 A 2
A1 l 1=A 2 l2 ( divide the whole equation by A 1 l 2 ) =
l2 A 1

the resistevity isconstant

Page 4 of 13
 2 2 4
R 1 l1 A 2 l1 A 2 r 2
= = = =
R 2 l 2 A 1 l 22 A 21 r 14

 Example :
A wire its resistance is 10 Ω was stretched so its length increases to the
double, Calculate the wire resistance after stretching it.
 Answer :
l 2=2 l 1 R1=10 Ω R2=?
2
R 1 l1
=
R 2 l 22

2 2
10 l1 l1 1
= = 2 = R 2=40 Ω

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2
R2 (2 l1 ) 4 l 1 4

 Notation 5 of 5 :
To compare between the resistivity & conductivity of two different
conducting material.

2
ρe1 R1 A 1 l 2 R 1 r 1 l 2
 = =
ρe2 R2 A 2 l 1 R 2 r 22 l 1

2
σ 1 l1 R2 A 2 l 1 R 2 r 2
 = =
σ 2 l2 R1 A 1 l 2 R 1 r 21

 Example :
Two wires are made of different material, the length of the first is three
times that of the second and the radius of the first is one third that of
the second, If the two wires have the same resistance, Calculate the
ratio between their resistivities.
 Answer :
1
l 1=3 l 2 , r 1=
3 r R =R ρ e1 =? ¿
¿ 2 1 2
ρ e2

Page 5 of 13
 2
RA Rπr
ρe = =
l l
2 2 2
ρe1 R1 r 1 l 2 (1/3 r 2) x l 2 r 2 l2 1
= = = =

ARTICLE QUESTIONS
2 2 2
ρe2 R2 r 2 l 1 r 2 x 3 l2 27 r 2 l 2 27

1. What are the result of :

Doubling the length of a conductor with decreasing its diameter to
its half concerning the value of its resistance, explain your answer.
Answer :
Doubling the length of the conductor l 2=2 l 1

Decreasing its diameter to its half

1
r =r
2 1 2

R 2 = 8 R1
2 2
R 1 l1 r 2 l1 x r 1 1
= 2= 2
=
R 2 l2 r 1 2 l1 x 4 r 1 8

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2. How can you increase the electric resistance of a copper wire at a
certain temperature ?
Answer :
You can increase the electric resistance of a copper wire at a
certain temperature, by increasing …………………………. or by
decreasing …………………………………….....

3. What are the physical quantities that are measured in the unit
Ohm.meter.

4. Give Reason for :

(1) The resistivity of a conductor is a physical characteristic
property for its material.
(2) It’s preferable to use copper wires in the electric connections.
Answer :

Page 6 of 13
 (1) Because the resistivity depends on the type of the material at a
certain temperature.
(2) Because it has small resistivity which means a small resistance
of the copper wires which leads to small loss in the electric
energy.

5. What is meant by : the resistivity of the copper wires equals 1.8 x

10 -8 Ω.m
Answer :
It means that : the resistance of a copper wire of length 1 m and
its cross-sectional area of 1 m2 equals 1.8 x 10 -8 Ω .
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6. Write the mathematical relation and the equivalent to the slope for
each of the following :
R R
(1) (2)

l 1
A r
2

I (4) V
(3)

VA IL
l A

Page 7 of 13
7. Which is larger , the resistivity of a copper wire of length 10 m , or
the resistivity of a copper wire of length 60 m at the same
temperature ? And why ?
Answer : the two wires have the same resistivity because it depends
only on the
type of the material at certain temperature.
8. If you have a circular coil of an isolated copper wire , explain the
practical steps to determine the resistivity and conductivity of the
wire.

Answer :
(1) Measure the length (l) using the relation( lwire =2 π r coil N ) and the
radius of the coil (r coil ) using the ruler to calculate its cross-
sectional area by using the relation : 2
A=π r coil

(2) Connect the wire with a battery and an Ammeter in series and
a Voltmeter in parallel.
(3) Use the rheostat to reach a suitable current , and measure the
Current intensity and the potential difference then apply the
relation R=V /I ,
To calculate the value of R .

Apply the relation :

RA l
(4) ρe = ∧σ =

To calculate the Value of the resistivity and conductivity

L RA

ρe σ

--------------------------------------------------

9. The opposite graph represent the

relation between the potential
V (v)

difference and the electric intensity A

for two conductors having the same
length and are made of the same B Page 8 of 13

material at constant temperature.

 CHOOSE THE CORRECT ANSWER
1. When the length of a metallic wire decreases to the half and its
radius increases to the double , the conductivity of its material
……………

a. decreases to the half b. increases to the double

c. increases to the quadruple d. remains unchanged.

2. Which of the following graph represents the relation between the

resistance (R) of several copper wires that have the same length

and cross-sectional
(a area(b)
(A) of each of them
(c ? ………… (d)
A A A A

) )

3. If the length of a copper wire is doubled and its cross-sectional area

R R R

is decreased to its half , then its resistance ………….

a. doubles b. decreases to its half

c. quadruples d. decreases to its quarter

4. A conductor of regular cross-section whose length is 20 m has a

resistance 108 Ω , so if another conductor of the same material has
a length 5 m and its cross-sectional area is three times that of the
first conductor , then the resistance of the second conductor equals
…………..

a. 81 Ω b. 27 Ω c. 9 Ω d. 6 Ω

Page 9 of 13
5. If a metallic wire is stretched regularly so that its length increased
to the double , then its resistance becomes ……………… its original
value.
a. double b. half c. 4 times d. quarter

Page 10 of 13
 Problems : ( without using the Notations 1 : 5 )
1. A wire of length 30 m and cross-sectional area 0.3 cm 2 is connected
to a DC source and an ammeter of negligible resistance is a closed
circuit , if the electric current passing through the wire is 2 A and
the potential difference at its ends is 0.8 V , Calculate the
conductivity of the wire. ( 25 x 10 5 Ω -1 m -1 )

2. A copper wire is 30 m long has a cross-sectional area of 2 x 10 -6 m 2

when it is connected between the terminals of a battery , the
voltage difference between its ends becomes 3 V , Calculate the
electric current intensity that passes through the wire knowing that
the copper resistivity is 1.79 x 10 -8 Ω.m . ( 11.17 A )

3. A wire of length 200 m has a resistivity of 3.14 x 10 -7 Ω.m , if the

wire allows the flow of 2 x 10 19 electrons per second when it is
connected to a source of 64 V , Calculate the radius of the wire .
( knowing that π = 3.14 & e = 1.6 x 10 -19 C )
( 10 -3 m )

4. A metal insulated wire of cross-sectional area of 0.1 mm 2 is made of

an alloy , the resistivity of its material is 5 x 10 -7 Ω.m , Calculate
the electric conductivity for the material of that wire and what is
the length of that wire that can be used to obtain a resistance of
200 Ω ? ( where : π = 3.14 ) ( 2 x 10 6 Ω -1.m -1 , 40 m )

The opposite graph represent the relation between the potential

difference (V) across the end of a wire of length of 5 m and cross-
sectional area of 0.1 mm 2 and the current intensity (I) passing
through it , Calculate :
a. the resistance of the wire.
b. the conductivity of the wire. ( 20 Ω
, 2.5 x 10 6 Ω -1.m -1 )

Page 11 of 13
Page 12 of 13
 Using Notation 2
5. A solid cube is made of iron of side length 10 cm is reshaped to be a
cylindrical wire of electric resistance of 10 Ω , if the resistivity of
the iron is 10 -7 Ω.m Calculate the length of the wire and its radius.
( π = 3.14 ) ( 316.22 m , 1.003 x 10 -3 m )

Using Notation 2
6. A metal wire of volume 2 x 10 -4 m 3 and a cross-sectional area of 4 x
10 -5 m 2 has a resistance of 1.25 Ω , Calculate the conductivity.
( 10 5 Ω -1.m -1
)

Using Notation 5
7. Two wires are made of different materials, the length of the first is
double that of the second and its radius is double that of the second
wire but they have the same electric resistance, Calculate the ratio
between their resistivities. ( 2/1 )

8. The opposite graph shows the relation between the electric

potential difference and the electric current intensity in the two
wires ( A,B ) , if they were made of the same material , Calculate :
a. The cross-sectional area of wire ( A ) , if both wires have the
same length when the cross-sectional area of wire ( B ) was 3 x
10 -6 m 2.
b. The length of wire ( A ) , of both have the same cross-sectional
area when the length of wire ( B ) was 3 m.
( 9 x 10 -6 m 2 , 1 m )

Page 13 of 13