Fundamentals P2
Fundamentals P2
ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS
(PART 2)
Resistance of Electrical Conductors
• Resistance
• The property of a material or circuit elements to oppose the flow of
electrons.
Factors affecting the resistance of a conductor:
1. Length
2. Cross-sectional area
3. Nature of the material
4. Temperature
Conductor
where:
𝐿 R=L
R = resistivity or specific resistance
𝐴 A of a given material at a certain
temperature. (Ω-m)
but V = A L
L = length (m)
R = V = L2
𝑉 𝑉 A = cross-sectional area (m2)
L= ; A= A2 V
V = volume (m3)
𝐴 𝐿
Resistivity of Copper at 200C
1 𝐴 𝐴
G= = = 𝜎
𝑅 𝜌𝐿 𝐿
where:
G = Conductance in Siemens (S)
= conductivity constant in S / m
Percent Conductivity
• % conductivity = material x 100%
annealed Cu
• where:
R1 = Resistance at temperature T1
R2 = Resistance at temperature T2 TX t1 t2
T1 = Initial Temperature
T2 = Final Temperature
Tx = Inferred zero resistance temperature
= Inferred absolute zero temperature
= the temperature in which the material inhibits zero resistance or
super conductivity.
Also,
R2 = R1 (1 + 1 t)
where:
1 = temperature coefficient of resistance in / ºC
1
𝛼1 =
𝑇𝑥 + 𝑡1
t = t2 - t1 Change in temperature
Resistivity Constant, Inferred zero resistance temperature and
Temperature Coefficient of resistance of some common electrical
material
Material at 20 ºC 𝑻𝒙 at 20 ºC
(Ω - m)
Silver 1.64 x 10-8 243 0.0038
Copper 1.72 x 10-8 234.5 0.00393
Aluminum 2.83 x 10-8 236 0.0039
Tungsten 5.50 x 10-8 202 0.0045
Nickel 7.80 x 10-8 147 0.006
Factors affecting the resistance of a
conductor:
1. Length
2. Cross-sectional area
3. Nature of the material
4. Temperature
Resistor Color Coding
30 40
1
= 𝛼25𝜊 𝐶 = = 0.00435 / °C
𝑇𝑥 + 20 𝑇𝑥 + 95 205 + 25
𝑇𝑥 = 205𝜊 𝐶
3. What is the resistance at normal room temperature of a 60 m
copper wire having a diameter of 0.64 mm? 𝜌copper = 1.7241 x 10-8 Ω-m at 20 °C.
SOLUTION
𝜋𝑑 2 𝜋(0.000642 )
𝐴= = = 3.217𝑥10−7 𝑚2
4 4
60
𝑅= 1.7241𝑥10−8 −7
= 3.22 Ω
3.217𝑥10