What is Wire: Definition and 1000 Discussions

A wire is a single usually cylindrical, flexible strand or rod of metal. Wires are used to bear mechanical loads or electricity and telecommunications signals. Wire is commonly formed by drawing the metal through a hole in a die or draw plate. Wire gauges come in various standard sizes, as expressed in terms of a gauge number. The term 'wire' is also used more loosely to refer to a bundle of such strands, as in "multistranded wire", which is more correctly termed a wire rope in mechanics, or a cable in electricity.
Wire comes in solid core, stranded, or braided forms. Although usually circular in cross-section, wire can be made in square, hexagonal, flattened rectangular, or other cross-sections, either for decorative purposes, or for technical purposes such as high-efficiency voice coils in loudspeakers. Edge-wound coil springs, such as the Slinky toy, are made of special flattened wire.

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  1. P

    Calculate length of wire needed for solenoid

    Hi, I'm trying to calculate the length of wire that I need to wound a coil using a spool and wire of known dimensions. I was trying to use this converter but I'm not getting good results: http://www.had2know.com/technology/solenoid-coil-wire-calculator.html For instance: with a wire radius of...
  2. phys-student

    Finding expression for non-uniform current density of a wire

    Homework Statement A long, straight wire, radius R, carries total current I. The current is distributed in the wire so that the current density is proportional to s, the distance from the center of the wire. (a) Write an expression for the current density J in the wire, as a function of s...
  3. artriant

    Calculate Wire Tension in Zero Gravity Circle | Rotating Wire

    Hello this is my first question here :) So here is my problem: We have a circle radius 50 (m), made out of iron wire mass 5.506206591207348477884587 Kg per meter of rope. Rope diameter 11/8 inces or 3.4925cm The wire rotates with 3 rpm in zero gravity 1)How can i calculate the tension? Thx...
  4. xSpartanCx

    Faraday's law with loop of wire and resistor

    A coil 3.65 cm radius, containing 560 turns, is placed in a uniform magnetic field that varies with time according to B=( 1.20×10^−2 T/s)t+( 3.05×10^−5 T/s4)t^4. The coil is connected to a 600-Ω resistor, and its plane is perpendicular to the magnetic field. You can ignore the resistance of the...
  5. W

    Magnetic field of a bent wire and Biot Savart law

    Homework Statement A straight wire carrying current I goes down the positive y-axis ( I is also in this direction) from infinite y to the origin. At the origin it changes direction 90 degrees and goes along positive x to infinity. Find B at (0,0,z). I'm given that ##\int_{0}^{\infty}...
  6. T

    5 wire Japan Servo AS27278

    Hello there! I have here a servo motor - Japan Servo AS27278 but don't have any idea about it. I make some researches on uncle Google about this model or kind of motor and fortunately I was redirected in here. Hoping somebody out here on this site knows and have knowledge about this kind and...
  7. B

    Heating up a wire using electrical current

    I have very little knowledge when it comes to physics. I'm trying to heat up a guitar string using electricity. The power source is 5 amps and only slightly heats up the string. I need a wire to get hot enough to cut through styrofoam. Please help with wire and power source suggestions.
  8. C

    Wire with current and field problem

    Homework Statement An electric current is uniformly distributed throughout a long, straight wire that has a diameter of 0.05m. If the current through the wire is 6.0A, calculate the magnitude of the magnetic field: a). 0.02m radially away from the wire center b). 0.05m radially away from the...
  9. I

    Quantum Tunneling from Bent Circular Wire

    Homework Statement The electron enters a straight pipe of circular cross section (radius r). The tube is bent at a radius R≫r by the angle α and then is aligned back again. Find the probability that the electron will jump out Homework Equations Tunneling probability in WKB approximation. The...
  10. uselesslemma

    Force on a Circular Loop Due to an Infinite Wire

    Homework Statement A long straight wire carrying a constant current I1 and a circular wire loop carrying a constant current I2 lie in a plane. The radius of the loop is R, and its center is located at distance D from the straight wire. What is the magnetic force exerted on the loop by the...
  11. E

    Current flowing through a loop due to an infinite wire

    Homework Statement An infinitely long wire carrying a 1 A current in the positive x direction is placed along the x-axis in the vicinity of a 5-turn circular loop located in the x-y plane as shown in the figure. If the magnetic field at the center of the loop is 0, what is the direction and...
  12. R

    What is the formula for spacing wire around a conical Christmas tree?

    So here's my problem. For the past few years i have built a very large christmas tree in my front yard. 1200 lights or so... looks awesome it is 6m high, a 2m ring at the bottom and is a constant cone shape to the top point. To install the lights i start from the bottom and progress to the top...
  13. R

    Calculating Inductance of a Solenoid with Multiple Isolated Loops

    I found this formula to approximate the inductance of a coil of wire. But what if a solenoid were composed of N separate loops, where each loop of the solenoid is connected to its own battery? That is, what if the solenoid had the same number of loops and the same geometry, except that each loop...
  14. nothing909

    Answering a Question on Three Impedances & Neutral Wire Current

    I just want to know if my method is correct in answer a question like this... Three impedances z1=(2-j5), z2=(3+j4) and z3=(8+j0) are connected in delta to a 3 phase, 400v 50Hz supply. 1. Find the three line currents Ia, Ib and Ic 2. Find the S,P and Q and power factor for the load 3. If the...
  15. B

    How to wire up Piezo touch sensitive switch?

    Hi Everyone, I could do some advice on wiring up a Piezo touch sensitive switch. I'm in the middle of building a desk PC project and thought it would be a nice touch to have a touch sensitive power switch, so I've bought a nice shiny touch sensitive illuminated Piezo switch and can't figure out...
  16. J

    Draw a circuit diagram to measure resistance of wire

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  17. E

    Magnetism Wire Loop: Solve Problem in 1.5 Hours

    Okay guys I have an hour and thirty minutes before my exam; I know how to do the top problem; just use the formula B = mew x current/(2 x pi x r) then add the magnetic fields and use the right-hand rule to get direction, but I'm stuck on the bottom one.
  18. 1

    Why the wire burns in short current with flow of current?

    In short circuit it is said that there is no resistance. So the current produce heat and wire is burnt. But as the rise in temperature increase the resistance then in short circuit heat must rise the resistance. How can we say there is no resistance in short circuit?
  19. J

    Why do filaments of bulbs heat up?

    Homework Statement This is not entirely a homework question but more a question about a homework assignment. We were asked to find out why a filament of a bulb heats up by talking about microscopic ideas. This is a link to a website that contains the relevant information under the heading...
  20. Z

    Heat Transfer by Nichrome wire and Steel

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  21. terryds

    Does Wire Length Affect Resistance?

    In https://in.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20120918081153AARHhnA, It says that "1.When the length of the wire is doubled,its volume remains constant, " How come ? Volume is Area times the length.. How come it remains constant if the length of wire is doubled ??
  22. Lana Elcic

    How Do You Calculate the Tension in a Wire Supporting a Sign?

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  23. C

    A positively charged wire bent into a semi-circle

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  24. L

    Interpreting wire type specifications on engineering drawings

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  25. S

    Infinitely Long Wire Potential

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  26. hawaiibrewer

    Trying to Wire a Washing Machine Motor To Power a Grain Mill

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  27. J

    How does the electric field propagates through a wire?

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  28. A

    Two spheres with a conducting wire

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  29. gracy

    Doubts about Electric field due to an infinitely long wire

    About Electric field due to an infinitely long straight uniformly charged wire my book says the assumption that the wire is infinitely long is very important because without this we can not take vector E to be perpendicular to the curved part of the cylindrical gaussian surface.I think it should...
  30. R

    Heat Transfer maximum current a wire can carry

    Homework Statement A copper wire has a diameter of 204.3 mil (1 mil = 0.001 in) and a resistance per unit length of 8.31x10^-4 ohm/m. The wire is coated with plastic insulation with thermal conductivity k = 0.20 W/(m K). The upper temperature limit of the plastic is 400 K. The air surrounding...
  31. Salvador

    Exploring the Effects of an Ionic Wire: DC Source and Capacitor Connection

    I have a DC source. then I connect a capacitor from the +ve to ground. if all connection are made from ordinary , copper for example, wires then electrons flow from negative to positive terminals.So electrons from the negative side of the capacitor would flow to the positive. I wonder what...
  32. saba.shahin95

    Find net electric field in a wire?

    After solving this problem I ended up with--(2a is the length of the wire)(integral limit is from -a to +a) (x is the ⊥ distance from centre of the wire to a point P where we have to find the net field ) E[SUBx]= (1/4Πε)*(Q/2a)∫x.dy/(x^2+y^2)^3/2 P.S- sorry, I'm not able to upload the image of...
  33. A

    How does a battery send current through a wire?

    'The ends A and B of a potentiometer wire are connected a driving circuit consisting of a strong battery, a plug key and a rheostat. The driving circuit sends a constant current i through the wire AB.' Can anybody please explain me as clearly as possible what is meant by driving circuit and...
  34. wzrdstrm

    What is the force on the wire given the information below....

    Need a little assistance, and yes I should know how to answer this but... The project is from an Oil and Gas system. Deadline anchor and load cell. a reel has wire rope on it that acts on an arm that puts pressure on a load cell. I'm trying to back calculate the force in lbs on the wire rope...
  35. N

    Experimental derivation of magnetic force on a wire

    Hi! I have performed an experiment measure force on a wire with electric current in a magnetic field. I got 3 graphs: Force as function of length (L) of wire, Force as function of current (I) and Force as function of magnetic field (B). In all cases, I got approximately a straight line through...
  36. Hithesh

    Magnetic field due to straight wire on the line itself

    Is magnetic field due to straight wire on the line of the wire itself zero? If yes, give mathematical proof.
  37. Roman Kozak

    I Load on a Horizontal Wire (Zip line)

    I am creating a horizontal zip line, in which a rider will be pulled with a rocket engine. Completely serious. One end of the wire will be secured to a tractor and the other to a large tree. The zip line will be made from 12.5 gauge (2 mm) galvanized class 3 200 KPSI minimum tensile strength...
  38. Q

    (Self) Inductance of a straight current carrying wire, vol. 2

    This thread is continuation to: https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/self-inductance-of-a-straight-current-carrying-wire.461622/ It's a really old thread, but I happened to come across the same problem a while back and since the old thread does not give the correct answer, I decided to create...
  39. B

    Book wrong? Ohms law, Graph, wire, slope change question

    Homework Statement Hello. The resistance of a wire increases when the temperature increases. How would this cause the shape of the graph to change? Explain why. The graph shown is a straight line graph with the line traveling at 45 degrees path. The x-axis is VOLTS. The y-axis is CURRENT...
  40. K

    What is the maximum displacement of the wagon during the motion of the bead?

    Homework Statement The bead of mass m starts to slide without friction from point A. the mass of the cart and the rail is M. What is the max displacement of the wagon during the motion of the bead? What is the force the rail exerts on the cart when the cart's velocity is maximum? What is the...
  41. E

    Calculate flux in a ferrite bead on a wire

    Suppose that a ferrite bead is put around a cable where a constant current I flows, just like in this image. The coordinate system has the z axis along the cable. Let's evaluate the current through the (x,y) plane: according to the Ampère's law, the only magnetic field component generated by...
  42. fluidistic

    Infinitely long wire carrying current

    Homework Statement With respect to a frame of reference K, a conducting wire of infinite length and internal radius "a" carries a current I -due to a flow of electrons- and has no charge density. An observer in a reference frame K' is moving parallely with respect to the wire. From the...
  43. Jimbob999

    Find magnetic dipole moment of coiled wire

    Homework Statement A 45-m long wire is coiled so that it makes a coil containing 100 circular loops, one on top of the other. If the wire carries a current of 13 A, what is the magnetic dipole moment of the coil? 21 A·m2 6.7 A·m2 3.3 A·m2 2.6 A·m2 1.2 A·m2 Homework Equations B(z) = u0/2pi...
  44. Caio Graco

    Magnetic field created by a long wire

    The magnetic field created by an electric current in a long straight wire is conservative or not conservative? A field is conservative when its circulation closed path is zero. For amperiana curve that surrounds the wire circulation is non-zero, but to a curve which does not involve the wire...
  45. E

    Can a Curved Wire Exert Magnetic Force on Itself?

    I recently learned about the magnetic field exerted due to current.My question was,if we have a curved current carrying wire,can one part of the wire exert a magnetic force on another part of the same wire?
  46. A

    Derive the equation for d of wire (Magnetic Force Lab)

    Homework Statement This is a magnetic force lab for the second semester of a physics lab course. The setup of the lab is as follows. A wire of length L hangs vertically between two contact points and has a mass with mass m attached to the bottom of it. The wire sits between two magnets in...
  47. L

    Question on live and neutral wire

    Why must a switch be at the live wire instead of the neutral wire?
  48. D

    Finding Buried Electrical Wire - Don in Hendersonville

    Good evening all you wizards, How would I locate each end of a buried electrical line? It was disconnected some 15 years ago, used to energize a submersible pump for a house water supply. It is probably 300 feet in length...I would guess it would be a 10-3 or 8-3 awg wire? I know the general...
  49. S

    Building a touchscreen using two wire meshes

    Hi all, I'm planning on building a touchscreen/pad. I am planning on using two sets of wires each separated by a small gap. One will be in the x direction the other in the y. the top wires will be wired to positive and the lower wires to negative, so that when the pad is touched two wires will...
  50. M

    How can I wire together two sets of computer sound systems?

    I want to purchase the Logitech z623 and add to it two creative inspire M2600 speakers (only the speakers, not the sub-woofer). The reason for doing this is because the Logitech system sounds really nice, it has an amazing bass, but mids and highs are not the best and I wish they was as clear as...
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