CHAPTER 34 RESISTANCE VARIATION

EXERCISE 162, Page 356

1. The resistance of a 2 m length of cable is 2.5 . Determine (a) the resistance of a 7 m length of
the same cable and (b) the length of the same wire when the resistance is 6.25 .

(a) If the resistance of a 2 m length of cable is 2.5 , then a 1 m length of cable is 1.25 

Thus, the resistance of a 7 m length of cable is 7  1.25 = 8.75 

2
(b) If the resistance of a 2 m length of cable is 2.5 , then a m length of cable is 1 
2.5

2
Thus, a resistance of 6.25  corresponds to a length of 6.25  m=5m
2.5

2. Some wire of cross-sectional area 1 mm 2 has a resistance of 20 . Determine (a) the resistance
of a wire of the same length and material if the cross-sectional area is 4 mm 2 , and (b) the cross-
sectional area of a wire of the same length and material if the resistance is 32 .

1 20
(a) R  thus a wire of cross-sectional area 4 mm 2 has a resistance of =5
a 4
(b) Since wire of cross-sectional area 1 mm 2 has a resistance of 20 ,

then a c.s.a. of 20 mm 2 has a resistance of 1 .

20
Hence, a resistance of 32  corresponds to a c.s.a. of = 0.625 mm 2
32

3. Some wire of length 5 m and cross-sectional area 2 mm 2 has a resistance of 0.08 . If the wire is
drawn out until its cross-sectional area is 1 mm 2 , determine the resistance of the wire.

l  (5) 0.08  2 106

R i.e. 0.08  from which, resistivity,    0.032 106
a 2 106 5

If c.s.a. = 1 mm 2 (i.e. half the original c.s.a.) then the length will double, i.e. l = 2  5 = 10 m

380
© John Bird Published by Taylor and Francis
  l  0.032 10  10 
6

Hence, resistance, R   = 0.32 

a 1106

4. Find the resistance of 800 m of copper cable of cross-sectional area 20 mm2. Take the resistivity of

copper as 0.02 m

 l  0.02 10 m   800 m 

6

Resistance, R   = 0.8 
a 20  106 m 2

5. Calculate the cross-sectional area, in mm 2 , of a piece of aluminium wire 100 m long and having
a resistance of 2 . Take the resistivity of aluminium as 0.03 106 m

 l  0.03  10 m  100 m 
6
l
Since R  then c.s.a., a =   1.5  106 m 2 = 1.5 mm 2
a R 2

6. The resistance of 500 m of wire of cross-sectional area 2.6 mm2 is 5 . Determine the resistivity of

the wire in m

R a  5    2.6  10 m 
6 2
l
Since R  then resistivity, ρ =  = 2.6  108 m or 0.026 m
a l 500 m

7. Find the resistance of 1 km of copper cable having a diameter of 10 mm if the resistivity of

copper is 0.017 106 m .

 l  l  0.017  10 m 1 10 m 
6 3

Resistance, R    = 0.216 
a  r2   5   106 m 2
2

381
© John Bird Published by Taylor and Francis
EXERCISE 163, Page 358

1. A coil of aluminium wire has a resistance of 50  when its temperature is 0C. Determine its

resistance at 100C if the temperature coefficient of resistance of aluminium at 0C is 0.0038/C

Resistance at 100C, R100  R 0 1   0 (100)  50 1  100(0.0038)  50 1  0.38 = 69 

2. A copper cable has a resistance of 30  at a temperature of 50C. Determine its resistance at

0C. Take the temperature coefficient of resistance of copper at 0C as 0.0043/C.

R 50  R 0 1   0 (50)  from which,

R 50 30 30
resistance at 0C, R 0    = 24.69 
1  50  0 1  50(0.0043) 1.215

3. The temperature coefficient of resistance for carbon at 0C is - 0.00048/C. What is the

significance of the minus sign? A carbon resistor has a resistance of 500  at 0C. Determine its

resistance at 50C.

For carbon, resistance falls with increase of temperature, hence the minus sign.

R 50  R 0 1   0 (50)   500 1  50(0.00048)   500 1  0.024 = 488 

4. A coil of copper wire has a resistance of 20  at 18C. If the temperature coefficient of resistance

of copper at 18C is 0.004/C, determine the resistance of the coil when the temperature rises to
98oC

Resistance at C, R  = R18 [1 + 18( - 18)]

Hence, resistance at 98C, R98 = 20 [1 + (0.004)(98 - 18)]

= 20 [1 + (0.004)(80)]
382
© John Bird Published by Taylor and Francis
 = 20 [1 + 0.32]

= 20(1.32) = 26.4 

5. The resistance of a coil of nickel wire at 20C is 100 . The temperature of the wire is increased

and the resistance rises to 130 . If the temperature coefficient of resistance of nickel is

0.006/C at 20C, determine the temperature to which the coil has risen.

R   R 20 1   20 (  20)

i.e. 130  100 1  0.006    20    100  0.6    20 

i.e. 130 – 100 = 0.6 ( - 20)

130  100 30
and ( - 20) =   50
0.6 0.6

Hence, temperature to which the coil has risen,  = 50 + 20 = 70C

6. Some aluminium wire has a resistance of 50  at 20C. The wire is heated to a temperature of

100C. Determine the resistance of the wire at 100C, assuming that the temperature coefficient of

resistance at 0C is 0.004/C

R20 = 50  , 0 = 0.004/C and

R 20

1   0 (20)
R100 1   0 (100) 

R 20 1  100 0  50[1  100(0.004)] 50[1  0.40] 50(1.40)

Hence, R 100  = = = = 64.8 
1  20 0  [1  20(0.004)] [1  0.08] (1.08)

i.e. the resistance of the wire at 100C is 64.8 

7. A copper cable is 1.2 km long and has a cross-sectional area of 5 mm 2 . Find its resistance at

80C if at 20C the resistivity of copper is 0.02 106 m and its temperature coefficient of

resistance is 0.004/C.

383
© John Bird Published by Taylor and Francis
  l  0.02 10 m 1.2 10 m 
6 3

Resistance at 20C, R 20   = 4.8 

a 5 106 m 2

Resistance at 80C, R 80  R 20 1   20 (80  20)   4.8 1  0.004  60    4.8 1.24 = 5.95 

EXERCISE 164, Page 358

Answers found from within the text of the chapter, pages 353 to 358.

EXERCISE 165, Page 358

1. (c) 2. (d) 3. (b) 4. (d) 5. (d) 6. (c) 7. (b)

384
© John Bird Published by Taylor and Francis