Heating Effect in Resistors
Physics: Edexcel IGCSE, topic 2.3.9
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
- 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
- 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
- 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.
Test yourself on Heating Effect in Resistors
Which of these happen to a resistor when a current flows through it?