Question
What is the heating effect of electric current? Explain with examples.
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Answer
When an electric current passes through a conductor, it gets heated. This warming is called the heating effect of electric current. When electric current flows through any conductor, it faces some opposition or resistance to its flow. This resistance converts some electric energy to heat energy. Different conductors have different resistances. Nichrome offers more resistance to the flow of current compared to copper. Thus, current flowing through a nichrome wire has a greater heating effect than copper wire. Nichrome is a material suitable for making heating elements. When electric current passes through wires of nichrome and other such materials, the wires become hot. The amount of heat produced in a wire depends on
- The nature of the material
- Thickness of wire (thin wires offer more resistance and thus more heat) and
- The length of the wire (Resistance offered and heat generated are directly proportional to the length of the wire).
While making elements of heating appliances from wires of these materials, the length of the wires is increased by making coils of the wires. Also, the wires are kept thin to produce more heat. The amount of heat produced by the electric current flowing through the conductors also depends on the magnitude of the electric current and the duration of time for which the current is passed.
A battery of two or more cells produces more heat when current is passed through a nichrome wire compared with a single cell. Also, the wire will be heated more if an electric current is passed for 1 minute compared to the passage of current for 30 seconds. Examples of daily use of heating effect in our houses are: room heaters, water heaters, electric stoves, electric kettles, electric irons, hair dryers, etc. In industry high high-temperature induction coils and furnaces are based on the heating effect of electric current.
- The nature of the material
- Thickness of wire (thin wires offer more resistance and thus more heat) and
- The length of the wire (Resistance offered and heat generated are directly proportional to the length of the wire).
While making elements of heating appliances from wires of these materials, the length of the wires is increased by making coils of the wires. Also, the wires are kept thin to produce more heat. The amount of heat produced by the electric current flowing through the conductors also depends on the magnitude of the electric current and the duration of time for which the current is passed.
A battery of two or more cells produces more heat when current is passed through a nichrome wire compared with a single cell. Also, the wire will be heated more if an electric current is passed for 1 minute compared to the passage of current for 30 seconds. Examples of daily use of heating effect in our houses are: room heaters, water heaters, electric stoves, electric kettles, electric irons, hair dryers, etc. In industry high high-temperature induction coils and furnaces are based on the heating effect of electric current.
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