How does increasing the temperature affect resistance in conductors?

Prepare for the Basic Engineering Common Core Test 2. Master key concepts with detailed flashcards and multiple-choice questions, each with helpful hints and explanations. Get set for your engineering exam!

Increasing the temperature in conductors typically leads to an increase in resistance due to the heightened thermal vibrations of atoms within the material. As temperature rises, these atomic vibrations become more intense. This increased activity disrupts the flow of electrons, which are the charge carriers in conductors.

When conductors are at elevated temperatures, electrons collide more frequently with the vibrating atoms, creating more resistance to their flow. This phenomenon is a fundamental principle in solid-state physics and electrical engineering, and it helps explain why devices can behave differently across varying temperature ranges.

Other options incorrectly suggest outcomes that do not align with the well-established behavior of conductors in response to temperature changes. For instance, the idea that it decreases resistance contradicts the empirical observations made in electrical conductivity. Similarly, stating that it has no effect on resistance fails to account for the physical principles governing electron movement. The assertion that resistance is only affected in insulators ignores the temperature-resistance behavior that is pertinent to all conductive materials.

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