Description: This is a visual model of resistance on a microscopic scale.
Equipment:
- Resistance board
- Lead shot
- Box to catch the lead shot
- Jack stand and C clamp
Setup Procedure:
- Attach the jack stand to the table with a C clamp.
- Rest the resistance board on the jack stand and place the box under the bottom of it.
Demonstration Procedure:
- Roll the lead beads down the board and watch how they hit the nails. You may either drop one or multiple balls. The more balls illustrates more current though the effect is the same.
Concept: Electrons moving through a conductor experience resistance just as many other things do when they flow through a medium. This is because they are not moving in a straight line; they are moving through a complex lattice of atoms, which is represented in this demo by an arrangement of nails. If we think of the nails as the atoms and the space in between as the free space electrons are allowed to flow through, we can get an idea of how this resistance occurs within a conductor.
28-E4
