If the temperature of a metal wire is increased, the positive ions vibrate more. Electrons collide with the positive ions more often and lose energy as heat energy. The resistance of the wire increases with temperature.Semi conductors have a negative temperature coefficient. Their resistance drops as their temperature increases. The bound electrons gain enough energy to escape and become conducting electrons so the number density of the charge carriers increases.
Temperature and Number Density
Read the text
Read the text and highlight anything you think is important. When you go on, the text is hidden and you answer from memory.
Specification: OCR Physics A (H156), AS-level, 4.2.4 Resistivity and 4.1.2 Mean drift velocity. Topic: Electricity.
More in Electricity
- Temperature and Resistance
- IV Graphs
- Diodes
- Resistivity
- The Thermistor
- The Light Dependent Resistor
- Electrical Power
- Electricity in the Home
All 30 lessons in Electricity · All OCR AS-level Physics topics