Understanding Resistivity: Solving a Wire Material Mystery

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In summary, the conversation discusses a homework problem involving a 15ft length wire with a cross sectional area of 127 c mils and a resistivity of 8.74 ohms at 20 C. The question is what material the wire is made of, and the discussion includes input from a book and Wolfram calculations. The final solution is 12.3*10^-8.
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Burntresistor
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Homework Statement


a 15ft length wire with a cross sectional area of 127 c mils has a resistivities of 8.74 ohms at 20 C. What material is wire made of. Any help would be appreciated. (pi/4*10^-6) was given by the book. Whats odd is when I enter pi/4*10^6 instead for wolfram I'm getting the right answer. I would just like to know if I'm wrong or the book is,and if I am wrong how to go about it.

Homework Equations


p=AR/L ([127(pi/4*10^-6)IN^2](8.74ohm))/15ft*1ft/12inch*.0254/1inch

The Attempt at a Solution


wolfram isn't giving me the right answer. I'm given this problem from a schaum workbook. answer is 12.3*10^-8

Homework Statement


Homework Equations


The Attempt at a Solution

 
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  • #2
I get the same answer as the Schaum's book when I used SI units.

As per http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resistivity" the units of R is Ohms, A is square metres and L is metres, thus giving the final unit of Ohm metres for p.

As per http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circular_mil" 1 c mil = 5.067×10-10 square metres.

As per http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foot_%28unit%29" 1 foot = 0.3048 metres.

So put it all together and tell us what you get.
 
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  • #3
123.01 ^-9

The way the book had it presented is the way I wrote it down. This way was a lot easier. Thanks
 

1. What is resistivity?

Resistivity is a measure of a material's ability to resist the flow of electrical current. It is a property that is dependent on the material's composition and temperature.

2. What causes a problem with resistivity?

A problem with resistivity can be caused by various factors such as impurities in the material, temperature changes, or mechanical stress on the material.

3. How can resistivity be measured?

Resistivity can be measured using an ohmmeter or a multimeter. The material's resistance and dimensions are used to calculate the resistivity value.

4. What are the effects of a high resistivity material?

A high resistivity material can lead to increased energy consumption, decreased efficiency, and potential overheating in electronic devices.

5. How can problems with resistivity be prevented?

Problems with resistivity can be prevented by using high-quality materials, avoiding extreme temperatures, and properly designing electronic circuits to minimize stress on the materials.

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