Question 15 Marks
What is electrical resistivity of a material? What is its unit? Describe an experiment to study the factors on which the resistance of conducting wire depends.
Answer
View full question & answer→The inherent property of a conductor because of which it resists the flow of electric current is called resistivity. Resistivity for a particular material is unique. The SI unit of resistivity is (Ohm metre).Experiment to study the factors on which resistance of conducting wire depends:
- Take an ammeter, electric cell, plug key, nichrome wire and wires of different materials.
- Make the circuit as shown in figure.
- Start the experiment with nichrome wire. Attach it in the circuit and take ammeter reading.
- Change the length of nichrome wire and take ammeter reading.
- Change the thickness of nichrome wire and take ammeter reading.
- After above steps, use copper wire for the experiment. Attach a copper wire in the circuit and take ammeter reading.
- Change the length of copper wire and take ammeter reading.
- Change the thickness of copper wire and take ammeter reading.
- Repeat above steps with wires of different materials.
- It is seen that resistance depends on material of conductor.
- Resistance depends on length of conductor.
- Resistance depends on area of cross-section.

