Why are voltages across wires close to zero?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Kourtney0115
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Voltage Wire
Click For Summary

Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around the observation of near-zero voltage across wires in electrical circuits, particularly in the context of measurements taken during a classroom experiment involving a battery, resistor, and light bulb.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants explore the reasons behind low voltage measurements across wires, questioning whether it pertains to voltage differences between points on an energized wire or between wires at similar voltages. They also discuss the implications of wire resistance and its effect on voltage drop.

Discussion Status

Participants are actively engaging with the original poster's question, seeking clarification on specific scenarios and considering the role of wire resistance in voltage measurements. Some guidance has been offered regarding the relationship between resistance and voltage drop, but no consensus has been reached.

Contextual Notes

There is an emphasis on classroom measurements and the use of a voltmeter, with participants reflecting on the implications of their findings and the assumptions made during the experiment.

Kourtney0115
Messages
9
Reaction score
0

Homework Statement


Why are voltages across wire close to zero? Or is it just a coincidence?



Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution

 
Physics news on Phys.org
Do you mean why is the voltage difference between 2 near points along an energized wire near 0?? Or do you mean why is the voltage difference between 2 wires each energized at near the same voltage and phase angle near 0? or something else? Please indicate your thoughts on this.
 
In class we used a voltmeter to measure the voltage across the different parts of a circuit. In the circuit there was a battery, resistor and light bulb. they just had us measure in parallel using the voltmeter all the parts including the wire. One of our questions afterwards was why are some of the voltages near zero?
 
Kourtney0115 said:
In class we used a voltmeter to measure the voltage across the different parts of a circuit. In the circuit there was a battery, resistor and light bulb. they just had us measure in parallel using the voltmeter all the parts including the wire. One of our questions afterwards was why are some of the voltages near zero?

May I assume that at some point in the exercise you were able to either measure the current going through the wires, or deduce the current going through the wires in some other way? You might want to invoke Ohms' law in your answer, noting that the resistance of a typical wire is quite small.
 
Kourtney0115 said:
In class we used a voltmeter to measure the voltage across the different parts of a circuit. In the circuit there was a battery, resistor and light bulb. they just had us measure in parallel using the voltmeter all the parts including the wire. One of our questions afterwards was why are some of the voltages near zero?
The resistance of the wire (ohms/meter) is rather low, so there is very little votage drop between 2 points on the wire. If the wire was very long, or very small, the resistance would be greater, and then there could be a measurable voltage drop between the 2 points.
 

Similar threads

Calculating the voltage across capacitors and resistors with switches
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
970
Why is current constant through a resistor?
  • · Replies 11 ·
Replies
11
Views
1K
Finding the voltage drop along a tapered wire
  • · Replies 30 ·
2
Replies
30
Views
2K
Voltage Drop in Parallel Receptacle Wiring
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
2K
Finding an open-cicuit voltage, why is resistor in series ignored?
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
Voltage drop across connecting wires?
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
3K
Measurement Errors in Kirchhoff's Voltage Law
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
5K
Calculate the maximum voltage that can be applied
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
2K
Finding the Voltage across a Resistor using the Node Voltage Method
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
Output voltage in circuit with diodes
  • · Replies 26 ·
Replies
26
Views
4K