Resistivity of tungsten filament

In summary, to find the diameter of a 1.3 cm length of tungsten filament in a small lightbulb with a resistance of 0.032 ohms, you must first convert the length to meters, then use the formula for resistance (R=resistivity x length/area) to solve for the radius. Once you have the radius, you can multiply it by 2 to find the diameter. In order to convert the diameter from meters to millimeters, you must multiply your answer by 1,000 since 1 meter is equal to 1,000 millimeters. This will give you the diameter in millimeters.
  • #1
rinarez7
27
0
1. A 1.3 cm length of tungsten filament in a small lightbulb has a resistance of 0.032 ohms. Find its diameter.
Given: Length= 1.3 cm= .013m
R= 0.032 ohms
resistivity= 5.6e-8 ohms*meter



2.
A= pi (r^2)
R= resistivity (Length/ Area)



The Attempt at a Solution


R= resistivity ( Length/ pi* (r^2) )
.032 ohms= (5.6e-8 ohms*meter) * (.o13m/ (pi* (r^2)) )
.032 (pi) (r^2) = 7.28e-10
.100530965 (r^2) = 7.28e-10
r= 8.509e-5
diameter= 2r= 1.701e-4m

It asks for the answer in mm, so I divided my answer by 1000= 1.7 e-7 mm, but it's not correct = (
What am I missing?
Thanks in advance!
 
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  • #2
Try multplying your answer by a 1000?
If you have an answer in m, the answer in mm is going to a be BIGGER number
 
  • #3
What makes Physics physical are the units. Units are as essential to the solution procedure as the mathematical expressions used to determine its quantities. Therefore, units must accompany their magnitudes throughout. In fact, this will often help as a conincident double check on the answer. Tables of Fundamental Units can be found in many books.
In your problem to convert your answer, already in meters, into millimeters, you recall that multiplying by one (1) doesn't change much.
Since 1 meter = 1,000 millimeters, you could divide one side by the other to arrive at the same answer: 1. In order to have millimeters appear in your answer then, you would multiply your answer in meters by 1,000 millimeters/1 meter (i.e. 1). As you can see the meters cancel out leaving the units in millimeters.
You could multiply it by 1 meter/1,000 millimeters also 1, but then you have to consider you've expressed the diameter, a linear measurement in terms of
10 e-3 meters^2/millimeters an unorthodox form but frankly not incorrect.
 
Last edited:
  • #4
Of course that "1,000" factor has to multiply your numerical answer since you have just multiplied your meters by "milli".
 

1. What is resistivity?

Resistivity is a measure of a material's ability to resist the flow of electric current.

2. How is resistivity of tungsten filament measured?

The resistivity of a tungsten filament is typically measured using a four-point probe technique, where four electrodes are placed on the filament and a known current is passed through it to measure the voltage drop.

3. What factors affect the resistivity of a tungsten filament?

The resistivity of a tungsten filament is affected by its temperature, length, and cross-sectional area. It also depends on impurities and defects in the material.

4. What is the resistivity of a tungsten filament at room temperature?

The resistivity of a tungsten filament at room temperature is approximately 5.6 x 10^-8 ohm-meters.

5. How does the resistivity of tungsten compare to other materials?

Tungsten has a relatively high resistivity compared to most other metals, making it a good material for use in high-temperature applications such as light bulbs and heating elements.

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