Electricity & Heat (Edexcel IGCSE Physics (Modular))

Electricity & heat

• A current passing through a resistor (or wire) results in the electrical transfer of energy

  • As explained in Charge & current, current is the rate of flow of charge

• The temperature of a resistor increases due to the collisions of the free electrons within the wire

• Some of the energy is dissipated into the surroundings by heating

• This heating effect is utilised in many domestic contexts, including:

  • Electric heaters

  • Electric ovens

  • Electric hob

  • Toasters

  • Kettles

Heating a pan on an electrical hob

The heating effect of current can be used for many applications such as electric hobs