2.3.9

Heating Effect in Resistors

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Heating Effect in Resistors

When an electric current flows through a resistor, electrons collide with the particles in the resistor, transferring energy in the form of heat.

Heating effect

Heating effect

  • Electric current does work to move through the resistor.
  • Some of the kinetic energy of electrons moving through the resistor is transferred to heat energy.
    • This is due to collisions between the electrons and the ions present in the resistor.
  • We can reduce heat energy lost in a circuit by using low resistance wires.
Advantages of heating effect

Advantages of heating effect

  • We can use electric current to generate useful heat.
    • An example of this is a kettle to boil water.
  • Lightbulbs use filaments with a high resistance. The filaments get very hot when a current flows through them which makes them emit light.
  • Fuses get hot and melt when the current in a circuit becomes dangerously large. This is an important safety feature of circuits.
Disadvantages of heating effect

Disadvantages of heating effect

  • Energy is wasted when electricity is transferred from a power plant to our homes because the transmission wires heat up.
  • Some components work less efficiently when they get hot.
Jump to other topics
1

Forces & Motion

1.1

Basics of Motion

1.2

Forces

1.3

Effects of Forces

1.4

Stopping Distance

1.5

Forces & Elasticity

2

Electricity

3

Waves

4

Energy Resources & Energy Transfers

5

Solids, Liquids & Gases

6

Magnetism & Electromagnetism

7

Radioactivity & Particles

8

Astrophysics

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