If the temperature of a conductor increases, what happens to its resistivity?

If the temperature of a conductor increases, what happens to its resistivity?

Correct Answer: Resistivity increases

Step 1: Understand what a conductor is. A conductor is a material that allows electricity to flow through it easily.
Step 2: Know what resistivity means. Resistivity is a measure of how strongly a material opposes the flow of electric current.
Step 3: Recognize that temperature can affect a conductor. When the temperature of a conductor increases, the atoms in the material start to vibrate more.
Step 4: Realize that increased atomic vibrations make it harder for electrons to flow. This is because the vibrating atoms can collide with the electrons, impeding their movement.
Step 5: Conclude that as the temperature increases, the resistivity of the conductor also increases. This means it becomes more difficult for electricity to flow through the conductor.

Temperature Dependence of Resistivity – As temperature increases, the atomic vibrations in a conductor increase, leading to more collisions between charge carriers and the lattice, which increases resistivity.