Study of Factors Affecting

the Resistance of a
Conductor
Student's Name : Lakshay Jain

Roll Number : 24120

Class : Class 12

School Name : Bharat Na onal Public School

Teacher’s Name : Mr. Vinay Semniwal

Date :
 Index
Table of Contents

1. Introduc on

2. Aim of the Experiment

3. Theory

4. Apparatus Required

5. Procedure

6. Observa ons/Data

7. Graph and Analysis

8. Result

9. Conclusion

10. References
 Introduction
In this experiment, we will inves gate how different factors such as the length, area of cross-sec on,
and material of the conductor affect its resistance. Resistance is a fundamental concept in electrical
circuits and is affected by physical proper es of the material as well as environmental condi ons like
temperature. Understanding these factors helps in designing efficient electrical circuits and choosing
appropriate materials for specific applica ons.
 Aim of the Experiment
To study the factors affec ng the resistance of a conductor, specifically:

 The effect of length of the conductor on resistance.

 The effect of the cross-sec onal area of the conductor on resistance.

 The effect of material on resistance.

 Theory
Resistance is the property of a material that resists the flow of electric current. It is given by the
formula:

R=ρ(LA)R = \rho \le ( \frac{L}{A} \right)

where:

 RR = Resistance of the conductor (in ohms, Ω\Omega)

 ρ\rho = Resis vity of the material (in ohm-meters, Ω⋅m\Omega \cdot m)

 LL = Length of the conductor (in meters, m)

 AA = Area of cross-sec on of the conductor (in square meters, m²)

From the equa on, we can observe:

 Resistance is directly propor onal to the length of the conductor: As the length increases,
resistance increases.

 Resistance is inversely propor onal to the cross-sec onal area: A thicker conductor offers
less resistance.

 Different materials have different resis vi es, which also affect the resistance.
 Apparatus Required
 Wire of uniform cross-sec on (e.g., copper or nichrome)

 Power supply (DC)

 Ammeter (to measure current)

 Voltmeter (to measure poten al difference)

 Rheostat (to control the current)

 Connec ng wires

 Meter scale (to measure the length of the wire)

 Caliper or micrometer (to measure the diameter of the wire)

 Switch

 Ba ery (appropriate voltage)

 Procedure
1. Set up the circuit:

o Connect the power supply, ammeter, voltmeter, and the wire in series and parallel as
shown in the circuit diagram.

o Ensure that the wire is connected to a rheostat to vary the current and prevent
overhea ng.

2. Measure and Record Length:

o Cut the wire to the desired lengths (e.g., 1 m, 2 m, 3 m, etc.) using a meter scale.

o Note the length of the wire for each experiment.

3. Measure Resistance for Different Lengths:

o For each length of wire, adjust the rheostat to get a small current.

o Measure the poten al difference across the wire using the voltmeter.

o Measure the current using the ammeter.

o Calculate the resistance using Ohm’s law: R=VIR = \frac{V}{I}

o Repeat this procedure for different lengths of the wire.

4. Change the Cross-Sec onal Area:

o Use wires of different diameters (or gauges) and repeat steps 3 and 4 to study the
effect of area on resistance.

5. Use Different Materials (Op onal):

o If available, repeat the experiment using different materials like copper, aluminum,
and nichrome. Compare the resistances obtained for each material.
 Observations/Data
Length of Wire (m) Current (I) (A) Voltage (V) (V) Resistance (R = V/I) (Ω\Omega)

1 0.1 1 10

2 0.05 1 20

3 0.033 1 30

4 0.025 1 40

Note: You can add more data points, depending on the wire length and experiment.
 Analysis
Analysis:

o From the first graph, we can confirm that resistance increases as the length of the
conductor increases.

o From the second graph, we can confirm that a thicker conductor (larger cross-
sec onal area) offers less resistance.
 Result
 The resistance of a conductor is directly propor onal to its length.

 The resistance is inversely propor onal to the cross-sec onal area of the conductor.

 Different materials have different resis vi es, affec ng the resistance, and conductors made
of materials with lower resis vity offer less resistance.
 Conclusion
 In this experiment, we studied how different factors such as length, cross-sec onal area, and
material affect the resistance of a conductor.

 The results confirm that the resistance increases with the length of the conductor and
decreases with an increase in cross-sec onal area.

 The material of the conductor plays a significant role, with different materials offering
varying degrees of resistance due to their inherent resis vity.
 References
 NCERT Class 12 Physics Textbook.

 "University Physics" by Young and Freedman.

 "Fundamentals of Physics" by Halliday, Resnick, and Walker.

 Any addi onal reference books or websites you may have used.