Temperature Coefficient of Electrical Resistance
See also: Table of materials' resistivitiesThe temperature dependence of electrical resistance and thus of electronic devices (wires, resistors) has to be taken into account when constructing devices and circuits. The temperature dependence of conductors is to a great degree linear and can be described by the approximation below.
where
just corresponds to the specific resistance temperature coefficient at a specified reference value (normally T = 0 °C)
That of a semiconductor is however exponential:
where is defined as the cross sectional area and and are coefficients determining the shape of the function and the value of resistivity at a given temperature.
For both, is referred to as the resistance temperature coefficient.
This property is used in devices such as thermistors.
Read more about this topic: Temperature Coefficient
Famous quotes containing the words temperature, electrical and/or resistance:
“This pond never breaks up so soon as the others in this neighborhood, on account both of its greater depth and its having no stream passing through it to melt or wear away the ice.... It indicates better than any water hereabouts the absolute progress of the season, being least affected by transient changes of temperature. A severe cold of a few days’ duration in March may very much retard the opening of the former ponds, while the temperature of Walden increases almost uninterruptedly.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“Few speeches which have produced an electrical effect on an audience can bear the colourless photography of a printed record.”
—Archibald Philip Primrose, 5th Earl Rosebery (1847–1929)
“War is pillage versus resistance and if illusions of magnitude could be transmuted into ideals of magnanimity, peace might be realized.”
—Marianne Moore (1887–1972)