Does the thickness (width or diameter) of the filament wire matter?
Have students first wrap a 2 inch length of #26 of Nichrome wire between the two supporting wires and test it with the battery. Then, have them wrap a 2 inch length of #32 wire and compare. Explain that #26 is actually thicker than #32. Discuss findings. • Does the type of material of the filament wire matter? Have students compare a 2 inch length of Nichrome wire to a 2 inch length of steel wire of the same thickness (#32 Steel to #32 Nichrome). Discuss findings. • Does the temperature of the filament wire matter? When students first hooked up any of the wires, did the effects happen immediately, or did it take a while to notice the effects? Did the effects appear to increase as the wire got hotter? Step 3: Thinking About Resistance After the students have had a chance to test each variable, gather them together as a group and review their results. They should have found that the #32 Nichrome wire glows a bright red and that it takes a few seconds to turn bright red. The #26 wire gets
