Resistance in a wire, sanity check about units.

[Cade]

Homework Statement

A x cm long wire has a diameter of y mm and a resistivity of 4.0x10-7 ohm-cm. Calculate its resistance.

Homework Equations

R = p*L/A

The Attempt at a Solution

First, I convert the given information into SI units:
Length = x*10^-2 m
Diameter = y*10^-3 m
Resistivity = 4*10^-5 ohm/m

Next, cross-sectional area of a wire/cylinder is pi*r^2 = pi*(d/2)^2 = (1/4)pi*d^2

R = p*L/A = p*L/((1/4)pi*d^2) = (4 L p)/(d^2 pi)

If x = 20 cm and y = 0.3mm,
R = (4*20*10^-2 *4*10^-5)/((0.3*10^-3)^2*Pi) = 113.177 ohms

Is this correct? My TA told me that I converted the units wrongly, and that the correct answer is 0.0113177 ohms.

 

[SammyS]

How did you convert 4.0*10^-7 ohm-cm to units of ohm-m ?

1 cm = 1*10^-2m .

 

[Cade]

4.0*10-7 ohm-cm * 10^-2 m/cm = 4.0*10^-9 ohm-m

Oh, that's the mistake, I did it in the opposite direction.

 

[SammyS]

4.0*10-7 ohm-cm * 10^-2 m/cm = 4.0*10^-9 ohm-m

Oh, that's the mistake, I did it in the opposite direction.

And now you should get the accepted answer.