Find current flowing through the wire

[Sean1218]

Homework Statement

A wire of total length 34.00 m, consists of equal lengths of Cu followed by Al, both having the same diameter of 0.80 mm. A voltage difference of 86.0 V is placed across the composite wire. What is the current flowing in the wire? Use rho=1.72x10-8 ohm-m for the resistivity of copper and rho=2.82x10-8 ohm-m for the resistivity of aluminum.

Homework Equations

R_T = R_Cu + R_Al
R = rho*L/(pi*r²)
R = V/I

The Attempt at a Solution

Solve R = rho*L/(pi*r²) for both Cu and Al and add together for R_T

(34*1.72*10^(-8))/(pi*.04^2) + (34*2.82*10^(-8))/(pi*.04^2)
= 0.000307089463

I = V/R_T

86/0.000307089463
= 280048.684 ohm

Keep getting the wrong answer, what am I doing wrong?

 

[phyzguy]

Three things:

(1) If the total length is 34m, and it is made up of two pieces of equal length, how long is each piece?

(2) How many meters is 0.4mm?

(3) What are the units of current?

 

[Sean1218]

Writing ohm was just a typo (was entering A before) and for some reason I was reading .80 mm as 80 mm, so I converted 80 mm -> .08 m. Completely forgot about halving the length though, thanks.

(17*1.72*10^(-8))/(pi*.0004^2) + (17*2.82*10^(-8))/(pi*.0004^2)
= 1.53544731

86/1.53544731
= 56.009737 A

That right then? I have one try left to get it right :s

 

[phyzguy]

That looks right to me.