In a potentiometer experiment, if the wire is made of a material with higher resistivity, what will be the effect on the potential gradient?
Practice Questions
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Q1
In a potentiometer experiment, if the wire is made of a material with higher resistivity, what will be the effect on the potential gradient?
It will increase
It will decrease
It will remain the same
It will become zero
If the wire is made of a material with higher resistivity, the potential gradient will decrease because the resistance increases, leading to a lower current for the same voltage.
Questions & Step-by-step Solutions
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Q
Q: In a potentiometer experiment, if the wire is made of a material with higher resistivity, what will be the effect on the potential gradient?
Solution: If the wire is made of a material with higher resistivity, the potential gradient will decrease because the resistance increases, leading to a lower current for the same voltage.
Steps: 6
Step 1: Understand what resistivity means. Resistivity is a property of a material that affects how easily electricity can flow through it.
Step 2: Know that a wire with higher resistivity means it has more resistance to the flow of electricity.
Step 3: Remember that in a potentiometer, the potential gradient is the change in voltage per unit length of the wire.
Step 4: Realize that if the wire has higher resistance, it will allow less current to flow for the same applied voltage.
Step 5: Understand that a lower current means that the voltage drop across the wire will be less for the same length of wire.
Step 6: Conclude that since the voltage drop is less, the potential gradient (voltage drop per unit length) will decrease.
