3.8 A heating element using nichrome connected to a 230 V supply draws an initial current of 3.2 A which settles after a few seconds to a steady value of 2.8 A. What is the steady temperature of the heating element if the room temperature is 27.0 °C? Temperature coefficient of resistance of nichrome averaged over the temperature range involved is .
For the given voltage, the two values of current will correspond to two different values of resistance which will correspond to two different temperature.
Given,
Voltage, V = 230 V
and
Using Ohm's law:
and
Now, the temperature coefficient of filament,
=
Let be the steady temperature of the heating element.
We know,
230/2.8 = 230/3.2[1 + () ( T2 - 27) ]
3.2/2.8 = 1 + () ( T2 - 27)
1.14 - 1 = () ( T2 - 27)
T2 - 27 = 0.14 / ()
T2 = (840.5 + 27) °C
Hence, Steady temperature of the element is 867.5 °C.