Suppose you want to run some apparatus that is 65 m from an...

Suppose you want to run some apparatus that is $65 \mathrm{~m}$ from an electric outlet. Each of the wires connecting your apparatus to the $120-\mathrm{V}$ source has a resistance per unit length of $0.0065 \Omega / \mathrm{m} .$ If your apparatus draws $3.0 \mathrm{~A},$ what will be the voltage drop across the connecting wires and what voltage will be applied to your apparatus?

Labs

Want to see this concept in action?

NEW

Explore this concept interactively to see how it behaves as you change inputs.

View Labs

Key Concepts

Ohm's Law

Ohm’s Law is a fundamental principle in electrical circuits which states that the voltage across a resistor is equal to the product of the current flowing through it and its resistance (V = IR). This key concept is used extensively in calculating voltage drops in any circuit element, including connecting wires.

Series Circuits and Resistance

In series circuits, the total resistance is the sum of the individual resistances of each element connected in the same path. This concept is important for understanding how the resistances of multiple wire segments combine to result in a total resistance affecting the voltage drop.

Voltage Drop

Voltage drop refers to the loss of voltage as current flows through a component with resistance, such as a connecting wire. It is a crucial factor when designing circuits because it determines the voltage that actually reaches the load, thereby affecting the performance of the connected apparatus.

Resistance per Unit Length

Resistance per unit length is a measure of how much resistance is present per unit of length in a conductor. This concept allows for the calculation of the total resistance of a wire by multiplying the resistance per unit length by the total distance the current travels, which is essential for estimating the associated voltage drop.

Transcript

Please give Ace some feedback