Electric wire is generally round in cross-section. What difference in conduction would it make if it were square or triangular?
Electric wire is generally round in cross-section. What difference in conduction would it make if it were square or triangular?
The broader the cross-sectional area (thickness) of the conductor, the more room for electrons to flow, and consequently, the easier it is for flow to occur (less resistance).
Electrical wire is usually round in cross-section (although there are some unique exceptions to this rule), and comes in two basic varieties: solid and stranded.
Solid copper wire is just as it sounds: a single, solid strand of copper the whole length of the wire.
Stranded wire is composed of smaller strands of solid copper wire twisted together to form a single, larger conductor.
The greatest benefit of stranded wire is its mechanical flexibility, being able to withstand repeated bending and twisting much better than solid copper (which tends to fatigue and break after time).
