Question

A long, inexpensive extension cord is connected from inside the house to a refrigerator outside. The refrigerator doesn't run as it should. What might be the problem?

Short answer

The problem might be losses in the cord caused by voltage drop.

Step-by-step solution

Definition of the Resistance

The resistance of the extension cord,

\({\rm{R}}{\bf{ = }}{\rm{\rho }}\frac{{\rm{l}}}{{\rm{a}}}\)

where \({\rm{\rho }}\) is the resistivity, \({\rm{l}}\) is the length, and \({\rm{a}}\) is the cross-section area of the cord

Explanation

Aside from endurance, one of the most significant distinctions between expensive and inexpensive cables is their capacity to transfer current as efficiently as possible.

This suggests that the most likely scenario in this situation was that the voltage dropped below the level required to run the refrigerator due to losses in the cord that served as a resistor.