10.0k views
4 votes
What does high resistance mean?

1) Electrons flow through a wire without touching each other.
2) Electrons are squeezed together, creating friction as they flow.
3) Electrons flow backwards through the circuit.
4) Electrons have an easy time completing the circuit.

User Tandi
by
8.3k points

1 Answer

3 votes

Final answer:

High resistance indicates a greater difficulty for the flow of electrons through a conductor due to obstacles such as atoms and impurities within the material, increasing the energy required for electric current to pass through.

Step-by-step explanation:

High resistance means that there is a significant obstruction to the flow of electrons through a circuit, making it difficult for an electric current to pass through. Resistance in a wire or component is influenced by factors such as resistivity of the material, temperature, and physical dimensions of the wire.

At a microscopic level, resistance is caused by collisions between the moving electrons and the particles of the conductor, such as atoms or impurities. These collisions result in a transfer of kinetic energy, leading the resistive material to heat up. Contrastingly, in materials known as superconductors, resistance can drop to zero at very low temperatures, allowing electrons to flow unimpeded.

Ohm's Law, which defines the relationship between voltage (V), current (I), and resistance (R), tells us that the voltage across a conductor is proportional to the current flowing through it, with resistance being the proportionality constant (V = IR). High resistance means it requires more voltage to push the same amount of current as a conductor with low resistance would.

User Shereen
by
7.7k points