When a wire is stretched to \(N\) times its original length, several key changes occur in its properties, including its resistance, cross-sectional area, and mechanical stress. Here’s a detailed look at these changes:
### 1. **Change in Resistance**
The electrical resistance \( R \) of a wire is determined by its length \( L \), cross-sectional area \( A \), and the material’s resistivity \( \rho \). The relationship is given by:
\[ R = \rho \frac{L}{A} \]
When the wire is stretched to \(N\) times its original length, the new length \( L' \) becomes:
\[ L' = N \cdot L \]
Assuming the wire is stretched uniformly, the volume of the wire remains constant. Therefore, the cross-sectional area \( A' \) of the wire will decrease as the length increases. The original volume \( V \) is:
\[ V = L \cdot A \]
After stretching, the volume \( V' \) is:
\[ V' = L' \cdot A' = N \cdot L \cdot A' \]
Since volume is conserved:
\[ L \cdot A = N \cdot L \cdot A' \]
Thus:
\[ A' = \frac{A}{N} \]
The new resistance \( R' \) can be calculated using the new length \( L' \) and new cross-sectional area \( A' \):
\[ R' = \rho \frac{L'}{A'} = \rho \frac{N \cdot L}{\frac{A}{N}} = \rho \frac{N^2 \cdot L}{A} = N^2 \cdot R \]
So, when a wire is stretched to \(N\) times its original length, its resistance increases by a factor of \(N^2\).
### 2. **Change in Mechanical Stress**
Mechanical stress \( \sigma \) in the wire is given by:
\[ \sigma = \frac{F}{A} \]
where \( F \) is the applied force and \( A \) is the cross-sectional area. As the wire is stretched, its cross-sectional area decreases, which increases the stress for the same force.
If the wire is stretched to \(N\) times its original length, the cross-sectional area reduces to \( \frac{A}{N} \), hence the new stress \( \sigma' \) becomes:
\[ \sigma' = \frac{F}{A'} = \frac{F}{\frac{A}{N}} = N \cdot \frac{F}{A} = N \cdot \sigma \]
Thus, the mechanical stress increases linearly with the factor \(N\) of the length stretching.
### 3. **Strain in the Wire**
Strain \( \epsilon \) is defined as the ratio of the change in length to the original length:
\[ \epsilon = \frac{\Delta L}{L} \]
In this case, if the wire is stretched to \(N\) times its original length, the strain is:
\[ \epsilon = \frac{L' - L}{L} = \frac{N \cdot L - L}{L} = N - 1 \]
### Summary
- **Resistance**: Increases by a factor of \(N^2\).
- **Mechanical Stress**: Increases by a factor of \(N\).
- **Strain**: Is \(N - 1\).
These effects illustrate how stretching a wire affects its electrical and mechanical properties, and understanding these changes is crucial in applications requiring precise control over the material's behavior under stress.