What happens to the resistance of a conductor when it is heated?

When a conductor is heated, its resistance increases due to the increased vibration of the atoms within the material. As the temperature rises, these atomic vibrations make it harder for the electrons to flow through the conductor, resulting in a greater opposition to the current. This phenomenon is especially noticeable in metallic conductors like copper and aluminum.

In general, the relationship between resistance and temperature for conductors can be described by the equation:

R_t = R_0 (1 + α(T - T_0))

where R_t is the resistance at temperature T, R_0 is the resistance at a reference temperature T_0, and α is the temperature coefficient of resistance for the material. As the temperature (T) increases, the overall resistance (R_t) will also increase.

This characteristic of conductors contrasts sharply with that of semiconductors, where increasing temperature can lead to decreased resistance. Understanding this behavior is crucial for applications involving electrical components and circuit design, as variations in temperature can significantly affect performance and efficiency.