Resistance in metal wires
Experiment number 136060-EN Topic Electricity
Version 2017-02-27 / HS Type Student exercise Suggested for grade 7-10 p. 1/4
Objective
To investigate how the resistance in a metal wire depends on the material, the length and diameter.
Principle
Different metal wires are stretched between two terminal posts. The current through the wire and the voltage across
it are measured. The resistance of the wire is found by using Ohm’s law.
Equipment Using multimeters
(Complete list on p. 4) Instead of Frederiksen’s analog instruments, you may
want to use digital multimeters.
Power supply (5 A is required)
Voltmeter, ammeter As an ammeter
113520 Copper wire un-insol. 0.50 mm Quite large currents are used – up to 5 A.
114520 Constantan wire 0.50 mm Look at the sockets of the multimeter: If a separate
115510 Kanthal wire 0.25 mm socked is marked e.g. “10 A” – use this socket together
115520 Kanthal wire0.50 mm with the “Com” (common) socket.
115530 Kanthal wire 1.00 mm
116000 Iron wire 0.5 mm As a voltmeter
If the multimeter isn’t of the auto-ranging kind, select
Stand material a range that can measure 10 V.
Lab leads If both “mV” and “V” sockets are present, use the “V”
Ruler, 1 m and the “Com” sockets.
Frederiksen Scientific A/S Tel. +45 7524 4966 [email protected]
Viaduktvej 35 · DK-6870 Ølgod Fax +45 7524 6282 www.frederiksen.eu
Resistance in metal wires 136060-EN p. 2/4
Procedure
The metal wires for this experiment can be used
several times. Avoid cutting the wire unless instructed
to do so.
The reel with the rest of the wire can rest next to the
setup; rewind the wire after use.
When you use voltmeter and ammeter, advance
systematically:
1. First, build the circuit for the current
2. Next, connect the voltmeter between the
points where the voltage is to be measured
When analog instruments are used, you must every
time start with the highest measuring range. If the
measurement lies within the next (more sensitive)
range, change to that to get more precise results
The instruments are set for DC.
If the power supply has a current limiter, turn it fully
up so only the voltage is adjusted. Every time the wire
is changed, the voltage must be turned down to 0.
1 – Same wire – varying length
For this part you will use a 0.50 mm Kanthal wire.
The wire should be properly tightened to the stand 1 First the circuit for the current …
poles with approx. 25 cm between them when the
wire is taut.
Don’t waste time trying to make the length precisely
25 cm – just measure the actual distance accurately
and enter it into the table.
Turn up to let about 0.75 A run through the wire.
Again: Adjust until you are in the vicinity of 0.75 A but
read the precise value of the current and write it
down.
Write down the voltmeter read on the voltmeter as
well.
Turn down and repeat with the other wire lengths in
the table.
2 – Fixed length – varying material and diameter
In this part, the wires all have a length of 1 m between
the binding posts.
You will compare different wires with the same length
so this should be controlled within 2-3 mm.
The results are recorded in a copy of table 2 (next
page).
For two of the wires, the current defines the measure-
ment (like in part 1) – for the rest, the voltage is used
to set the conditions. See table 2.
In all case, the precise values of voltage and current
are recorded.
2 … next, add the voltmeter
Resistance in metal wires 136060-EN p. 3/4
Tables for the results
Make a copy of the two tables below.
Note: Only fill out the grey fields initially! (The rest of the table is explained in the text.)
Variation of length
(Table 1)
Length Voltage Current Resistance
L/m U/V I/A R/Ω
apx. 0.25 m (measured) (measured) apx. 0.75 A (measured) (calculated)
apx. 0.50 m (measured) (measured) apx. 0.75 A (measured) (calculated)
apx. 0.75 m (measured) (measured) apx. 0.75 A (measured) (calculated)
apx. 1.00 m (measured) (measured) apx. 0.75 A (measured) (calculated)
Variation of material and diameter
(Table 2)
Material Diameter Voltage Current Resistance
d / mm U/V I/A R/Ω
Iron 0.50 (measured) apx. 2.5 A (measured) (calculated)
Copper 0.50 (measured) apx. 5.0 A (measured) (calculated)
Constantan 0.50 apx. 3 V (measured) (measured) (calculated)
Kanthal 0.50 apx. 3 V (measured) (measured) (calculated)
Kanthal 0.25 apx. 10 V (measured) (measured) (calculated)
Kanthal 1.00 apx. 2.5 V (measured) (measured) (calculated)
Theory More calculations etc.
The relation between the voltage U across a con- (Ask your teacher if you should skip or complete this
ductor and the current I through it is section.)
∙ For the measurement series with varying diameter,
Where R is the resistance of the conductor. This add two columns to the table: The cross-section area
relationship is called Ohm’s law. a , and 1/a.
As we will calculate the resistance R , we solve the Make a new graph with R as a function of 1/a.
equation for this:
Discussion and evaluation
Based on the two graphs you have drawn, try to
formulate some rules for the resistance of a wire of a
When a formula (like this) is used, you need to take given material:
care about the units. If some results are written down
• A rule about resistance and wire length when
in mV or mA, they are converted to V and A, before
the diameter is kept constant.
they are entered into the expression.
• A rule about the resistance and the diameter
of the wire when its length is kept constant.
Calculations etc.
Calculate the resistance for all measurements. (The (If you completed “More calculations etc.”:
column R in both tables.) The second rule could instead be about resistance and
cross-section area.)
In the first part, you determine the resistance of
different lengths of a given wire. Plot the resistance as In the second part, you measured four wires of
a function of the length. different metals which had the same dimensions.
Arrange a list of these metals in order from the
In the second part, you find (among other) how the
smallest to the largest resistance.
resistance of 1 m Kanthal wire varies with the dia-
meter. Plot the resistance as a function of the Which of these metals is the better choice for electric
diameter. cables? (Why?)
Resistance in metal wires 136060-EN p. 4/4
Teacher’s notes Detailed equipment list
Concepts used
Voltage Specifically for the experiment
381570 Ammeter
Current
Resistance 381560 Voltmeter
Please note that resistivity is not used in this lab 113520 Copper wire un-insol. 0.50 mm
manual. If you wish, this exercise can be used as a 114520 Constantan wire 0,50 mm
prelude to a treatment of this concept. 115510 Kanthal wire 0.25 mm
115520 Kanthal wire 0.50 mm
Mathematical skills 115530 Kanthal wire 1.00 mm
Graphs 116000 Iron wire 0.5 mm
Evaluation of a simple expression
Proportionality *)
*) The basic results can just as well be described in Standard lab equipment
qualitative terms. 364000 Power supply
The “More calculations etc.” section is added to make (must be able to deliver 5 A)
a more quantitative approach possible. 435030 Terminal posts, set of two
000410 Retort stand base, square (2 used)
About the equipment Safety cables, silicone:
The specified currents and voltages have been chosen 105720 50 cm, black
to fit the dimensions and materials of the wires indica- 105721 50 cm, red (2 used)
ted in the equipment list. The choices ensure that the 105740 100 cm, black
instruments can be read without too much inconve- 105741 100 cm, red
nience – while keeping the wires from getting too hot.
When using other kinds of wire, it is the teacher’s re- 140510 Ruler, wood, 100 cm
sponsibility to check that these conditions are still
fulfilled.
The meters 381560 and 381570 are protected against
overload. They will also tolerate wrong polarity
although only positive values can be read.
It is possible to read the current on the power supply’s
built-in ammeter if you wish to avoid an external
meter.
However, it would be pedagogically undesirable to use
a built-in voltmeter. It would not present any
problems with precision in this exercise, but the
students should get used to connecting a voltmeter
across just the component being measured.
