RESISTIVITY OF WIRES CONDUCTOR

A. PURPOSE OF EXPERIMENT
There are two main purposes related to this experiment.
1. Investigating the relationship between the area (A) and the length (l) of sample wires
conductor of electricity through the resistance of those wires.
2. Investigating the effects of varied voltage (V) through the resistivity () of wires
conductor.

B. TOOLS AND MATERIALS
The following are the tools and materials needed in order to do this experiment.
1. Power Supply
2. Ampermeter
3. Voltmeter
4. Red connector cable (3 pieces)
5. Black connector cable (3 pieces)
6. Steker clip (4 pieces)
7. Circuit board
8. Constantan wire (d = 0.35 mm)
9. Nichrome wire (d = 0.35 mm)
10. One poled switch
11. Ruler (nst = 0,5 cm)
12. Connector Bridge

C. FUNDAMENTAL THEORY
The relationship between the resistances of conductor (R) trough its length (l) can be
expressed by the equation R l. In other hand, the relationship between the resistance of
conductor (R) and its area is
A
R
1
. From the two equations, it can be written into the other
equation
A
L
R . To be an equation, it needs to multiply the right-hand side by a constant.
The constant is well known as the resistivity of conductor (). If there is a wire conductor
that has a cross-sectional area (A), wire length (l), and resistivity (), then the amount of
resistance at the conductor wire can be identified by the following equation.
A
l
R =
......................................................................................................... (1)

From the equation above, the resistivity of wire conductor can be determined by the
following equation.
......................................................................................................... (2)
Where:
= resistivity (.m)
R = resistance of wire ()
A = area of wire (m
2
)
l = length of wire (m)

D. EXPERIMENT METHOD
Here are the methods for how to do this experiment.
1. Preparing tools and materials to be used for the experiment
2. Arranging the tools as the figure shown bellow

3. Connecting the powersupply to the voltage source (tools till in off condition)
l
RA
=
4. Rolling the constantan wire that will be used at each end of steker
5. Turning on the powersupply and the voltage used (3 volt DC)
6. Closing the switch (S), then observe the voltage and the current that flowing in that wire
and writing the result in measured table.
7. Measuring the length of wire (l) and the diameter of wire (A).
8. Repeating the method number 5 until 6 by changing the voltage of power supply.
9. Opening the switch (S), then repeating the method number 1 until 8 by changing the
constantan wire with nichrome wire.
10. Writing down the result data in measured table as shown below.







E. DATA ANALYSIS TECHNIQUE
Data analysis technique that is going to be used in order to analysis the data of this
experiment shown below.
1. The value of the length of wire L, the sectional are A, voltage V, current I are determined
by this equation.
X = X X A

................................................................................................... (3)
Where;

=
=
=
10
1
n
n
n
n
X
X dan

=
=

= A
10
1
2
1
) (
n
n
n
X X
X ............................................................ (4)
2. The value of resistance (R) is determined by this equation.

=
I
V
R And V
I
R
I
V
R
R
V I
A
c
c
+ A
c
c
= A

2 2
...................................................... (5)
3. The resistivity of sample wires are determined by this equation.
Types of
Wire
l
(cm)
A
(mm
2
)
V
(Volt)
I
(mA)
Constantan
Nichrome

=
l
RA
....................................................................................................... (6)
l
l
A
A
R
R
A
c
c
+ A
c
c
+ A
c
c
= A

.................................................................. (7)
Relative Error (RE) =
|
|
|
.
|

\
|
A

x 100 % .......................................................... (8)

The result of measurement is tolerable if the value of the relative error is smaller than
10%.

F. DATA OF EXPERIMENT
The following are the data recorded during the experiment.
The diameter of both of the wire is the same, d = 0.35 mm, then both the wire has the same
sectional area as the following.
=
2
=
1
4

2

=
1
4
3.14 (0.35 )
2

= 0.096
2

Type of Wire
Length of Wire
(l) (cm)
A
(
2
)
V
(volt)
I
(ampere)
Constantan 46.3 0.096
0.33 0.10
0.40 0.13
0.47 0.15
Nichrome 44.8 0.35
0.45 0.05
0.82 0.10
1.22 0.15




G. DATA ANALYSIS
1. Data Analysis for Constantan Wire
Type of Wire
Length of Wire
l (cm)
A
(
2
)
V
(volt)
I
(ampere)
Constantan 46.3 0.096
0.33 0.10
0.40 0.13
0.47 0.15
Sum () 1.20 0.38
Average 0.40 0.13

a. The Average Sectional Area of Wire
( )( )
2 8
2 2
2
2
10 6 , 9
10 6 , 9
35 , 0 14 , 3
4
1
4
1
m A
mm A
A
d A

=
=
=
= t

b. The Length of Wire
l = l l A

l = ( ) 5 . 0 30 . 46
2
1

l = ( ) 25 . 0 30 . 46 cm
l = ( ) m x
2
10 25 . 0 30 . 46



c. The Voltage Flows Through The Wire (V)
No V

( )

1
0.33 -0.07 0.0049
2
0.40 0.00 0.0000





1. The average value of voltage

40 . 0
3
1
=
=

=
=
V
n
V
V
n
n
n

2. The accuracy of voltage
0067 . 0
00163 . 0
6
0098 . 0
) 1 (
) (
3
1
2
= A
= A
= A

= A

=
=
V
V
V
n n
V V
V
n
n

3. So, the value of voltage is;
volt V
V V V
) 0067 . 0 40 . 0 ( =
A =


d. The Electricity Current of The Wire (I)
3
0.47 0.07 0.0049

1.20 0.0098

0.40

No I

1 0.10 -0.03 0.0009
2 0.13 0.00 0.0000





1. The average current
I = I I A

=
=
=
3
1
n
n
n
n
l
I
13 . 0 = I
2. The accuracy of current

0025 . 0
10 17 . 2
6
0013 . 0
) 1 (
) (
4
3
1
2
= A
= A
= A

= A

=
=

I
x I
I
n n
l l
I
n
n

3. So, the value of current (I) is

A I
I I I
) 0025 . 0 13 . 0 ( =
A =


e. The Resistance of The Wire (R)
1. The average resistance

=
I
V
R

3 0.15 0.02 0.0004
0.38 0.0013

0.13
ohm R
R
08 . 3
0.13
40 . 0
=
=

2. The accuracy of resistance
V
I
V
I
I
R A

+ A = A

2
1

( )
( )
( ) 0067 . 0
13 . 0
40 . 0
0025 . 0
13 . 0
1
2

+ = AR
( ) ( ) 159 . 0 019 . 0 + = AR

ohm R 0.18 = A

3. So, the value of resistance (R) is
ohm R
R R R
) 18 . 0 08 . 3 ( =
A =


f. Resistivity of The Wire ()
1. Average Resistivity

=
l
RA

( )( )
( )
2
8
10 30 . 46
10 62 . 9 08 . 3

=
x
x

meter ohm x . 10 39 . 6
7

=



2. Accuracy of Resistivity
l
l
RA
R
l
A
A

+ A = A

( )
( )( )
( )
( ) 25 . 0
10 30 . 46
10 62 . 9 08 . 3
18 . 0
10 30 . 46
10 62 . 9
2
2
8
2
8

+ = A
x
x
x
x

( ) ( )
7 7
10 5 . 3 10 37 . 0

+ = A x x
m x O = A
7
10 87 . 3

g. Relative Error (RE)
RE =
|
|
|
.
|

\
|
A

x 100 %
RE =
|
|
.
|

\
|

7
7
10 39 . 6
10 87 . 3
x
x
x 100 %
RE = 60.56 %
2. Data Analysis for Nichrome Wire
Type of Wire
Length of Wire
l (cm)
A
(
2
)
V
(volt)
I
(ampere)
Nichrome 44.8 0.096
0.45 0.05
0.82 0.10
1.22 0.15
Sum () 2.49 0.30
Average 0.83 0.10

a. The Average Sectional Area of Wire
( )( )
2 8
2 2
2
2
10 6 , 9
10 6 , 9
35 , 0 14 , 3
4
1
4
1
m A
mm A
A
d A

=
=
=
= t

b. The Average Length of Wire
l = l l A

l = ( ) 5 , 0 80 . 44
2
1

l = ( ) 25 , 0 80 . 44 cm
l = ( ) m x
2
10 25 , 0 80 . 44



c. The Voltage Flows Through The Wire (V)



1. The average value of voltage

83 . 0
4
1
=
=

=
=
V
n
V
V
n
n
n


No V

( )

1
0.45 -0.38 0.1444
2
0.82 -0.01 0.0001
3
1.22 0.39 0.1521

2.49 0.2966

0.83

2. The accuracy of voltage
22 . 0
0494 . 0
6
2966 . 0
) 1 (
) (
4
1
2
= A
= A
= A

= A

=
=
V
V
V
n n
V V
V
n
n

3. So, the value of voltage is;
volt V
V V V
) 22 . 0 83 . 0 ( =
A =


d. The Electricity Current of The Wire (I)










1. The average current
I = I I A

=
=
=
3
1
n
n
n
n
l
I ; 10 . 0 = I
No I

1 0.05 -0.05 0.0025
2 0.10 0.00 0.0000
3 0.15 0.05 0.0025
0.30 0.0050

0.10
2. The accuracy of current

03 . 0
10 33 . 8
6
0050 . 0
) 1 (
) (
4
3
1
2
= A
= A
= A

= A

=
=

I
x I
I
n n
l l
I
n
n

3. So, the value of current (I) is

A I
I I I
) 03 . 0 10 . 0 ( =
A =


e. The Resistance of The Wire (R)
1. The average resistance

=
I
V
R

ohm R
R
3 . 8
0.10
83 . 0
=
=

2. The accuracy of resistance
V
I
V
I
I
R A

+ A = A

2
1

( )
( )
( ) 22 . 0
10 . 0
83 . 0
03 . 0
10 . 0
1
2

+ = AR
( ) ( ) 26 . 18 3 . 0 + = AR

ohm R 56 . 18 = A

3. So, the value of resistance (R) is
ohm R
R R R
) 56 . 18 30 . 8 ( =
A =


f. Resistivity of The Wire ()
1. Average Resistivity

=
l
RA

( )( )
( )
2
8
10 80 . 44
10 62 . 9 30 . 8

=
x
x

meter ohm x . 10 82 . 17
7

=
2. Accuracy of Resistivity
l
l
RA
R
l
A
A

+ A = A

2

( )
( )( )
( )
( ) 25 . 0
10 10 . 0
10 62 . 9 30 . 8
56 . 18
10 10 . 0
10 62 . 9
2
2
8
2
8

+ = A
x
x
x
x

( ) ( )
7 6
10 42 . 1 10 161 . 0

+ = A x x
m x O = A
7
10 03 . 3

g. Relative Error (RE)
RE =
|
|
|
.
|

\
|
A

x 100 %
RE =
|
|
.
|

\
|

7
7
10 82 . 17
10 03 . 3
x
x
x 100 %
RE = 17.00 %

H. DISCUSSION
According to the data analysis of the experiment, then retrieved the value of resistivity to the
Constantan wire and Nichrome wire as follows.
a. Constantan Wire
meter ohm x . 10 39 . 6
7

=

m x O = A
7
10 87 . 3
Then the result of the experiment should be written;
m O =
A =
7
10 ) 87 . 3 39 . 6 (


The relative error for this experiment is 60.56 %
b. Wire Nichrome
meter ohm x . 10 82 . 17
7

=

m x O = A
7
10 03 . 3
Then the result of the experiment should be written;
m O =
A =
7
10 ) 03 . 3 82 . 17 (


The relative error for this experiment is 17.00 %
As can be seen from the result of this report, both the experiment has the value of relative
error (RE) more than 10%, which means that the result of both this experiment is
unacceptable. There are some errors that estimated to be the factors of this unacceptable.
1. Common Error
Common error is error that occurs because of the human error. The common error of this
experiment is the parallax error in the reading scale of ampermeter and voltmeter.
2. Systematic Error
Systematic error is an error that occurs because of the instruments used as the influence
of the environment at the time of trials. The systematic error of this experiment is caused
by ampermeter and voltmeter which did not work well. Then, it is also because of some
problem occurs through the connector cables.
3. Random Error
Random error is an error which the caused factors uninvestigated. The random error of
this experiment is the fluctuation of voltage, magnetic field, vibration of air, etc.
In addition, here are errors of students and the suggestions to overcome them.
1. At the time of ampermeter and voltmeter used, the result shown often varied because of
the influence of vibration of the table, so that it can influence the outcome of the
experiment. This can be solved by do the right way in holding the ampermeter and
voltmeter so could reduce the vibrations that occur and the results obtained can be
maximum.
2. The limited knowledge of sudents in reading the scale of ampermeter, voltmeter, and
electricity series. This can be resolved by asking to the laboratory in charge of making
practicum instructors run smoothly.

I. CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION
1. Conclusion
Based on the results of the experiment and the discussion above, it can be summed up as
follows.
a. The resistivity of Constantan wire and Nichrome wire retrieved from the
experiment are m O =
7
10 ) 87 . 3 39 . 6 ( and m O =
7
10 ) 03 . 3 82 . 17 (
with the relative errors 60.56% and 17.00 %
b. The factors cause the relative errors in the trials is due to from both the human
and the instruments used and the environment in which human do experiments
that may affect the results data.
2. Suggestion
The suggestion that can be provided to the readers and other human in order to do the
same experiment is checking the necessary equipment. Do the tool and the material taken
or provided is still eligible to use or could still be used or not. If actually it still can be
used, then use them with well, but if the tool used is not good, its recommend to replace it
with the good others because it will affect the final results of the experiment.

REFERENCES
Suardana, I Kade. 2007. Petunjuk Praktikum Laboratorium 3. Singaraja: Undiksha.
www.physicsclassroom.com/resistanceandresistivity (accessed on October 3th, 2012)