Question

1. Will the specific resistance of a conductor change with a change in temperature?
2. Give reasons for answer (i).

Answer 1

Yes. The specific resistance (resistivity) of a conductor generally changes with temperature because it depends on both the material and its temperature. Temperature changes affect the motion and collisions of charge carriers in the material.

For most pure metals, resistivity increases as temperature rises. The change is small for some alloys, while certain materials may show a decrease. Thus, resistivity is independent of a conductor’s dimensions, but not generally independent of temperature.