Why Does Resistance Increase with Temperature in Conductors?

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the relationship between temperature and resistance in conductors, specifically copper resistors and superconductors. It is established that resistance in metals increases with temperature due to the increased thermal motion of metal ions, which disrupts the flow of free electrons. At lower temperatures, this thermal motion is reduced, allowing for easier electron movement. The resistivity (ρ) of a material, which is influenced by temperature, plays a crucial role in determining resistance, as defined by the formula R = ρ(L/A).

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  • Understanding of Ohm's Law and resistance calculations
  • Familiarity with the concept of resistivity (ρ) in materials
  • Basic knowledge of thermal dynamics in physics
  • Experience with experimental setups involving liquid nitrogen and superconductors
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  • Explore the principles of superconductivity and its temperature dependencies
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Students studying physics, particularly those interested in electricity and materials science, as well as educators looking for practical lab experiments involving temperature and resistance in conductors.

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currently we have been studying mechanic physics and the teacher though that it would be fun to do a fun electricity related lab. the lab was to investigate the voltage across a copper resistor and a superconductor when the temperature is brought down with liquid nitrogen. my question is why does resistance increase as temperature increase. everywhere i have searched just tells me this fact but doesn't really explain why.
 
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In simple terms the resistance in metals is due to the free surface electrons being bounced around by the thermal motion of the metal ions. At lower temperatures this motion is reduced so there is less to disturb the free motion of the electrons.

When you get to very low temperatures it gets more complicated.
 
i also have another question. resistance equals roe(l/a). isn't roe the most affected by temperature? but i am not sure why
 
Rho is resistivity - which is just a measure of the resistance to motion of electrons in the material for exactly the reasons I just wrote.

L / A is just a term to include how far they have to go (L) and how much space there is for them to move (A)
 

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