Calculate Resistance and resistivity

In summary: If you had lab partners and they recorded what you need get it. Otherwise go back to the lab instructor explain your problem and do it over.
  • #1
Steelers72
30
0
I have voltage, diameter, area, and inverse area data values. How could I calculate the resistance and resistivity with these numbers? I am pretty sure resistance is R=V/I and resistivity= RA/L , so I am not sure how I can calculate resistance without an I value.
 
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  • #2
Steelers72 said:
I have voltage, diameter, area, and inverse area data values. How could I calculate the resistance and resistivity with these numbers? I am pretty sure resistance is R=V/I and resistivity= RA/L , so I am not sure how I can calculate resistance without an I value.
You are right. If you aren't told either R or both V and I, you cannot find resistivity. Are you trying to answer a Question in a book? Perhaps the current value is hidden somewhere else.
 
  • #3
sophiecentaur said:
You are right. If you aren't told either R or both V and I, you cannot find resistivity. Are you trying to answer a Question in a book? Perhaps the current value is hidden somewhere else.
Im not sure. It was a lab. Very frustrating because current is mentioned anywhere
 
  • #4
  • #5
Yes: frustrating if you can't go back and do it again. It can be difficult if you are working to a set of instructions which are presented in steps but without the necessary background. I don't know where you can go from here to get an actual result - but you have sussed out the theory now so everything isn't lost. :smile:
 
  • #6
Steelers72 said:
It was a lab

Tip for labs:
Before any lab, always know what your outputs, that is results, should be. Know what you are looking for.

Then you determine before the lab what measurements, what variables, are required during the lab.
 
  • #7
Thanks for the advice. I wish there was a manual it is all written in paragraph form. Annoying.
 
  • #8
alw34 said:
Tip for labs:
Before any lab, always know what your outputs, that is results, should be. Know what you are looking for.

Then you determine before the lab what measurements, what variables, are required during the lab.
Absolutely. Just following your nose through a series of measurements can often lead you nowhere. Despite the 'learning by doing' mantra that's practiced in many places, getting to know the theory first is much more reliable.
 
  • #9
Steelers72 said:
Thanks for the advice. I wish there was a manual it is all written in paragraph form. Annoying.
The theory isn't in manuals - it's in textbooks, which have probably been better thought out than a set of lab instructions.
 
  • #10
sophiecentaur said:
if you can't go back and do it again.

good point. If you had lab partners and they recorded what you need get it. Otherwise go back to the lab instructor explain your problem and do it over. I taught EE labs as a grad student and several times people came back to do some additional work...no big deal.
 

1. What is the formula for calculating resistance?

The formula for calculating resistance is R = V/I, where R is resistance in ohms, V is voltage in volts, and I is current in amperes.

2. How do I calculate resistance if I only have the voltage and current values?

If you know the voltage and current values, you can use the formula R = V/I to calculate resistance. Simply divide the voltage by the current to get the resistance value in ohms.

3. What is resistivity and how is it related to resistance?

Resistivity is the measure of a material's ability to resist the flow of electric current. It is represented by the Greek letter ρ (rho) and is measured in ohm-meters. Resistance is directly proportional to resistivity, so materials with higher resistivity will have higher resistance to electric current.

4. How can I calculate resistivity if I know the dimensions and material of a conductor?

To calculate the resistivity of a material, you can use the formula ρ = RA/L, where ρ is resistivity, R is resistance, A is the cross-sectional area of the conductor, and L is the length of the conductor. You can measure the resistance using a multimeter and the dimensions can be obtained by measuring the length and cross-sectional area of the conductor.

5. Can I use the same formula to calculate resistance for both series and parallel circuits?

Yes, the formula R = V/I is applicable to both series and parallel circuits. However, the total resistance in a series circuit is the sum of individual resistances, while in a parallel circuit, the total resistance is calculated using the formula 1/R = 1/R1 + 1/R2 + ... + 1/Rn.

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