When a wire with resistance \( R \) and radius \( r \) is compressed, its physical dimensions change, affecting its resistance. Here's a detailed explanation:
### Conceptual Framework
1. **Resistance of a Wire:**
The resistance \( R \) of a wire is given by the formula:
\[
R = \rho \frac{L}{A}
\]
where:
- \( \rho \) is the resistivity of the material,
- \( L \) is the length of the wire,
- \( A \) is the cross-sectional area of the wire.
For a wire with a circular cross-section, the area \( A \) can be expressed as:
\[
A = \pi r^2
\]
2. **Volume Conservation:**
When the wire is compressed, its volume remains constant. Therefore:
\[
\text{Initial Volume} = \text{Final Volume}
\]
For a cylindrical wire, the volume \( V \) is given by:
\[
V = A \times L = \pi r^2 \times L
\]
If the wire is compressed, its length changes to \( L' \) and its radius changes to \( r' \), but the volume remains the same:
\[
\pi r^2 L = \pi {r'}^2 L'
\]
Simplifying, we get:
\[
r^2 L = {r'}^2 L'
\]
3. **New Resistance:**
The new resistance \( R' \) after compression can be calculated with the new dimensions:
\[
R' = \rho \frac{L'}{\pi {r'}^2}
\]
We can substitute \( L' \) from the volume conservation equation:
\[
L' = \frac{r^2 L}{r'^2}
\]
Thus:
\[
R' = \rho \frac{\frac{r^2 L}{r'^2}}{\pi {r'}^2} = \rho \frac{r^2 L}{\pi {r'}^4}
\]
Since \( R = \rho \frac{L}{\pi r^2} \), substituting \( \rho \frac{L}{\pi r^2} \) for \( R \) gives:
\[
R' = R \left( \frac{r}{r'} \right)^4
\]
### Summary
When a wire of resistance \( R \) and radius \( r \) is compressed, its new resistance \( R' \) can be calculated using the formula:
\[
R' = R \left( \frac{r}{r'} \right)^4
\]
where \( r' \) is the new radius after compression.
This equation shows that if the radius of the wire decreases, the resistance increases significantly due to the fourth power relationship between the radius and resistance.