Question

A copper wire has diameter 0.5 mm and resistivity of 1.6 × 10⁻⁸Ω m. What will be the length of this wire to make its resistance 10 Ω? How much does the resistance change if the diameter is doubled?

Answer 1

Given diameter of the wire,

D = 0.5 × 10⁻³ m

resistivity of copper, ρ = 1.6 x 10⁻⁸ ohm m required resistance, R = 10 ohm

As R = `(ρl)/A, l = (RA)/ρ = (R((piD^2)/4))/ρ = (πRD^2)/(4ρ)`   ...`[∵ A = pir^2 = pi(D/2)^2 = (piD^2)/4]`

∴ `l = (3.14 xx 10 xx (0.5 xx 10^-3)^2)/(4 xx 1.6 xx 10^-8)`

m = 122.7 m

Since `R = (ρl)/((πD^2)/4)`

= `(4ρl)/(πD^2), R∝1/D^2`.

When D is doubled, R becomes `1/4` times.