8A
YOUR ANSWER:
Resistance is the opposition to current flow in a material.
(From P1-6B)
Very good. Now we are getting somewhere. We know what resistance is. Now let's talk about some of
the things that determine resistance. There are four more factors that determine resistance. They are the type of
material used, the length of the conductor, the cross-sectional area, and the temperature of the conductor. We'll
go back now and take them one at a time.
The first is the type of material used. This is the biggest single factor in determining resistance. It all
goes back to the atomic structure of materials. Materials such as gold, silver, copper, and aluminum which have
one, two, or three valence electrons make the best conductors. The valence electrons of these materials are
constantly moving at random from one atom to another. So, if we apply an external force, we can move these
electrons in a desired direction with very little opposition (resistance).
Choose the correct statement.
The atomic structure of a material is the
greatest factor in determining its resistance.
Page 1-2A
The atomic structure of a material has very
little effect on its resistance.
Page 1-4B
The atomic structure of a material is the
least important of the four factors that determine
a material's resistance.
Page 1-15A
IT0340
1-8
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