Question

Discuss the dependence of the resistivity of a conductor on temperature.

Answer 1

The resistivity of a conductor increases with temperature. This happens because, as temperature increases:

1. The thermal vibrations of atoms increase.
2. These vibrations cause more frequent collisions between free electrons and atoms.
3. This reduces electron mobility, leading to higher resistivity.
4. The temperature dependence of resistivity for most metals is given by the linear relation:
   ρ(T) = ρ₀[1 + α(T − T₀)]