Resistance of wire made from copper and iron sections

  • Thread starter Thread starter BuBbLeS01
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Resistance Wire
Join the discussion
Registration is free. Start your own thread to ask a follow-up.
7 replies · 5K views
BuBbLeS01
Messages
602
Reaction score
0
Resistance of Wire...HeLp!

Homework Statement


A 122-cm-long wire is made by welding a 0.36-mm-diameter, 21-cm-long copper wire to a 0.47-mm-diameter, 101-cm-long iron wire. What is the resistance of the composite wire?


Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution


How do I do this since it is made up of 2 different materials?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
do I just find the resistance of each one and add them?
 
Yea They are not clear on that point do they mean the wires were welded end to end to make a longer wire, OR as is the case sometimes, were the two wires used in parralel to make a thicker wire. I assume ened to end ie series as the person writing the problem would most likley have said welded at both ends if he/she meant paralell. So calculate resistance of each piece and simply add
 
mikecal1 said:
Yea They are not clear on that point do they mean the wires were welded end to end to make a longer wire, OR as is the case sometimes, were the two wires used in parralel to make a thicker wire. I assume ened to end ie series as the person writing the problem would most likley have said welded at both ends if he/she meant paralell. So calculate resistance of each piece and simply add
oh ok...thank you!
 
BuBbLeS01 said:

Homework Statement


A 122-cm-long wire is made by welding a 0.36-mm-diameter, 21-cm-long copper wire to a 0.47-mm-diameter, 101-cm-long iron wire. What is the resistance of the composite wire?

If you re-read you have a 21-cm wire and a 101-cm wire. Therefore the only way this problem can work would be to have them end to end to have a 122-cm wire.

So, yes, as has been said above, just calculate both the resistances and add them together.
 
Great catch Ignea, my bad I read problem way too quick! gets me killed every time