Is the flow of electric current altered by temprature?

Question

This is the third question in I'm not sure how many of a probe into the behavior of electricity. I intend to use the findings later to test another theory.

3. Is the flow of electric current affected by temprature?

These questions are pretty straightforward. We've all heard of resistance, measured in Ohms. Well, what I'm wondering is does electricity travel as well in cold enviornments as hot enviornments? That is to say, do they need special cables in Alaska to make electricity flow from the power plant into all of those little igloos, or do they need special cables in the deserts of Arizona and Nevada to keep Las Vegas lit up all night long? I suppose that it would be just as relevant if the effects of temprature on the wires would cause changes in the behavior of the current, too.

Now, keep in mind, I'm not asking if the current reverses or comes flying out of the side of the wires, mind you. I just wonder if it speeds up or slows down. Even by the most minute degree.

Answer 1

I don't know about speeding up or slowing down but more
current can be carried with less resistance in colder wires..
At absolute zero, many common conductors become super-conductors and offer not resistance to the passage of high amounts of current..
One of the "holy-grails" of science is the development of room temperature super conductors...
Room temperature super conductor alloys would safe huge amounts of electric losses in long distance transmission lines.

Answer 2

Resistance of a wire is less at lower temperatures, this is due to the atoms in the wire vibrating less as they have less energy (and so not getting in the way of the flow of electrons as much). This means that at lower temperatures current flows better. For example a super-conducter is a wire or metal (usually made of gold) at a very low temperature, at this point the resistance of it is almost nothing and so the electrical current will be at its best.

However, the actual speed of the electrons is not affected by temperature, just the material they are passing through.

Answer 3

Actually electricity travels best at low temperatures (usually), so in Alaska things might be easier than elsewhere.

One way of simplifying it is to think about the molecules in the wire. At higher temperatures these molecules move about more and 'block the path' of the electrons more.

In a small number of materials though (but not normal electrical wires), lower temperatures can reduce the current because the low temperature produces less free electrons to carry the current.

Answer 4

Yes, as temperature goes down, resistance has a tendency to also lower, though only slightly. I don't think it affects the amount of current enough for them to worry about it, though it depends on the material they made the wire out of. For resistance temperature detectors, they actually utilize this to measure high-temperature applications -- they calibrate an Ohm-meter in terms of temperature, with a Wheatstone resistance bridge in the circuit.

I think the theory goes that as temperature rises, atoms in the crystal structure of metal have a tendency to slide around and become less organized. The more disorganized the crystalline structure gets, the more difficult it becomes to transmit charge carriers from one atom to the next, and thus your resistance goes up. As the metal cools, the atoms settle back into a more-or-less stable crystal lattice, making it more efficient at transferring charge carriers.

Answer 5

Since elctricity is plasma matter and therefore has density the temperature should change the flow of electricity (no matter how minimal of a change). It is possible that colder temperatures compact the energy slightly and allow it to pass through the wires more easily while the hotter temperature scatters the particles and makes it harder to transfer.

Answer 6

i am not quite sure in my answer, but since you have had no replies as yet, thought i may as well give it a go

Electricity alone is not itself affected by changes in temperature, but the material that it is passing through is affected.

e.g. a set piece of steel versus molten steel, even though electricty will pass through the molten steel, as the molecules are more active, the power would have a harder time passing through the substance to get to the other side, it would have more resistance I would expect.

i believe this would be the case anyway

Answer 7

From what I know about electricity, temperature would not affect the flow, however, highter ambient temperature would require wire with a higher insulation rating.

Answer 8

nicely, the finest element of do could be to apply a battery with a decrease voltage, which may scale back the present (with the aid of formula I = V/R, a shrink in voltage causes a shrink in present day). Or, you're able to position a resistor in sequence with the motor, to boost the resistance of the circuit (I = V/R back, an boost in resistance causes a shrink in present day).

Answer 9

I have lived in Alaska for 37 years. We have the same type of power lines as everyone else.