Electricity and resistance Question

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around a problem in electricity and resistance, specifically involving a scenario where a bird stands on an electric transmission line carrying a significant current. Participants are exploring how to calculate the voltage experienced by the bird based on the resistance of the line and the distance between the bird's feet.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Mathematical reasoning

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants are attempting to understand how to apply Ohm's Law in this context, questioning the role of resistance, length, and area in the calculations. There is confusion regarding whether the distance between the bird's feet should be used as the length in the resistance calculation.

Discussion Status

The discussion is active, with some participants providing hints and guidance on how to approach the problem. There is a mix of interpretations regarding the parameters needed for the calculations, particularly concerning the length and area involved.

Contextual Notes

Participants are working within the constraints of a homework problem, which may limit the information available or the methods they can use. There is uncertainty about the definitions and roles of various physical quantities in the context of the problem.

PerpetuallyFrustrate
A bird stands on a electric transmission line carring 2500 A. The line has .000025 ohms resistance per meter and the bird's feet are 4 cm apart. What voltage does the bird feel?

I know R = p L/A, but how do i figure out the area. Also do I use 4 cm as the length?
 
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HInt

Could you figure the voltage if the bird had its feet 1 meter apart?
 
No

I don't understand whether the 4 cm is the L and if so then what is the area?
 
If you know the resistance per meter (0.000025) and the number of meters (0.04) their product should give you the total resistance in the 4 cm length. Knowing the current, it should be a staightforward use of Ohm's Law to get the voltage across that section of the wire. I'm not sure why you would need to use the area at all.
 

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