EE101 CIRCUITS 1

1T SY 2014-2015

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Resistance
Week 2

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Learning Outcomes
Discuss

the parameters that determine

the resistance of an element.
Solve the resistance from the given
parameters and material characteristics.

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RESISTANCE

The Resistance R of an element denotes its ability to

resist the flow of electric current, measured in ohms .

The resistance of any material is due primarily to four

factors:
1.
2.

3.
4.

Material
Length
Cross-sectional area
Temperature of the material

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RESISTANCE
Mathematically,

l
R
A
Where:

R = resistance (ohms or )
= resistivity (-CM/ft or cm, -m) at t = 20C
l = length (ft or cm or m)
A = area (CM or cm2 or m2)

(a) Resistor as the element used to

model current-resisting behavior
of a material
(b) Circuit symbol for resistance
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Resistivity of Various Materials

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Resistivity of Various Materials

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Resistivity of Various Materials

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RESISTANCE

Cases in which R2 > R1

For each case, all remaining parameters that control the resistance level
are the same.
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RESISTANCE
Circular

Mils (CM)

The area can also be measured in a quantity called circular

mils (CM).
It is the quantity used in most commercial wire tables, and thus
it needs to be carefully defined.
The mil is a unit of measurement for length and is related to
the inch by:

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RESISTANCE

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Popular wire sizes and some of their areas of

application

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TEMPERATURE EFFECTS ON RESISTANCE

1.

2.
3.

It increases the resistance of pure metal.

It increases the resistance of alloys.
It decreases the resistance of inductors and
electrolytes.

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TEMPERATURE EFFECTS ON
RESISTANCE

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TEMPERATURE EFFECTS ON RESISTANCE

Where:

T0 = inferred absolute zero,

inferred zero resistance
temperature (unit: C)
1 = temperature coefficient of
resistance at temperature T1
(unit: per degree Celsius, 1 )

R2
T0 + T2
=
R1
T0 + T1

R 2 = R1 1 + 1 (T2 T1 )
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TEMPERATURE EFFECTS ON RESISTANCE

Inferred absolute zero, T0

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TEMPERATURE EFFECTS ON RESISTANCE

Temperature coefficient of resistance for various

conductors at 20 C
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ILLUSTRATIVE PROBLEM 1

Find the resistance at 20C of an annealed copper bus

bar 3 m in length and 0.5 cm by 3 cm in rectangular
cross-section.

R = 344
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ILLUSTRATIVE PROBLEM 2

The resistance of a certain wire is 15 . Another wire of

the same material and at the same temperature has a
diameter one-third as great and a length twice as great.
Find the resistance of the second wire.

R = 270
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ILLUSTRATIVE PROBLEM 3

A coil of annealed copper wire (=10.37 -CM/ft) has a

length of 615 ft and a diameter of 32 mils. Calculate the
total resistance of the coil at 20 C.

R = 6.23
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ILLUSTRATIVE PROBLEM 4

A 15-ft length of wire with a cross-sectional area of 127

cmils has a resistance of 8.74 at 20 C. What material is
the wire made from?

Iron
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ILLUSTRATIVE PROBLEM 5

When 120 V is applied across a certain light bulb, a 0.5-A

current flows, causing the temperature of the tungsten
filament to increase to 2600 C. What is the resistance of
the light bulb at the normal room temperature of 20 C?

R = 19.17
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ILLUSTRATIVE PROBLEM 6

The resistance of a certain device is 23 at 25 C. If the

temperature coefficient of the material is 0.004545 per
C at 20 C, determine the temperature of the device in
C when the resistance is 46 ?

T46 = 250 C
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ILLUSTRATIVE PROBLEM 7

Find the conductance of 5 m of Nichrome wire that has a

diameter of 1 mm.

G = 157 mS
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ILLUSTRATIVE PROBLEM 8

A 1-m length of wire is found to have a resistance of 25.

If the diameter of the wire is 1mm, determine:
a)
b)

Resistivity in -m
Cross-sectional area in CM

1.963 x 10-5 -m ; 1550 CM

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ILLUSTRATIVE PROBLEM 9

An aluminum conductor with a diameter of 0.2 in. was

badly damaged during a short-circuit. It was decided that
a hard-drawn copper conductor with the same resistance
will be used in its place. What should be the diameter of
this copper conductor?

0.1562 in.
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ILLUSTRATIVE PROBLEM 10

The filament of a tungsten light bulb has a resistance of

125 at 400 C. Determine its resistance at 0 C.

42.219
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ILLUSTRATIVE PROBLEM 11

A silver conductor has a resistance of 25 at 0 C.

Determine the temperature coefficient of resistance at 0
C and the resistance at -30 C.

4.115 103
; 21.914

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ILLUSTRATIVE PROBLEM 12

A piece of wire has a resistance of R. Another piece of

wire has twice the length and also twice the diameter of
the first piece of wire. Find the resistance of the second
piece of wire in terms of R.

R/2
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References

Please refer to course syllabus.

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