Extra Que for Interest: Voltage and Wire Resistance

[jen333]

Hi! I was looking at notes about voltage and resistance, and this question popped into my head.

Homework Statement

If a certain length of wire ie)40m with an unknown resistance has a voltage of say 24V (random number) when hooked up to a battery, how does the voltage change throughout the circuit, or does it? ie) when a voltmeter is hooked up to a 10m segment of the wire anywhere on the wire, would the voltage increase or decrease?

Homework Equations

P=IV
R=pL/A

The Attempt at a Solution

I'm not sure, but if i were to guess I would think of the wire as any other resistor and assuming resistance is constant throughout predict the same voltage? I'm probably completely off, but it's worth a shot.

Thanks!

 

[LowlyPion]

By your second equation you have said you've traveled a 10m distance ... so what would the R be at that point?

Since it is something anyway, and if you are traveling from the positive terminal of the battery, then if there is a ΔR, there must be a ΔV.

Increase from the positive terminal? Does that really make sense? Of course the ΔV is going to be a drop.

 

[nlightner]

Hi there! Your question is a great one and it shows that you are thinking critically about voltage and resistance. Let's break down your question and look at it from a scientific perspective.

First, let's define voltage and resistance. Voltage is the potential difference between two points in a circuit, and it is measured in volts (V). Resistance, on the other hand, is the measure of how difficult it is for current to flow through a material, and it is measured in ohms (Ω).

In your scenario, we have a wire with an unknown resistance that is connected to a battery with a voltage of 24V. When a voltmeter is hooked up to a 10m segment of the wire, you are essentially measuring the voltage at that specific point. This voltage reading will depend on the resistance of that 10m segment of wire and its position within the circuit.

Now, let's think about what happens to voltage as it travels through a wire. According to Ohm's Law, voltage is directly proportional to current and resistance. This means that as the voltage travels through the wire, it will decrease if the resistance increases and vice versa. So, if you were to measure the voltage at different points along the wire, you may see slight variations in the voltage depending on the resistance of that particular segment.

In conclusion, the voltage will change throughout the circuit depending on the resistance of the wire. However, if the wire has a constant resistance, the voltage should remain relatively the same. I hope this helps answer your question and I encourage you to continue exploring and asking questions about voltage and resistance. Keep up the curiosity and good luck with your studies!