If a wire's length is doubled, what happens to its resistance?

Study for the NEIEP Basic Electricity (330) Test. Use flashcards and multiple choice questions, complete with hints and explanations. Prepare effectively for your exam today!

When the length of a wire is doubled, its resistance also doubles. This relationship is explained by Ohm's Law and the formula for resistance, which is given by ( R = \frac{\rho L}{A} ), where ( R ) is the resistance, ( \rho ) is the resistivity of the material, ( L ) is the length of the wire, and ( A ) is the cross-sectional area.

As the length ( L ) increases, the resistance ( R ) increases proportionally, provided the resistivity and the cross-sectional area remain constant. Therefore, if the length is doubled, the resistance effectively becomes twice as much as the original value.

This principle reflects the fact that a longer wire presents more material for the electrons to pass through, which inherently increases the chances of collisions and resistance encountered by the electrons moving through the conductor.

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