Question

Consider a circular copper wire formed by connecting the two ends of a copper wire. The connection point is now heated by a burning candle. Do you expect any current to flow through the wire?

Short answer

Answer: No, there will not be any current flow in the wire, as there is no potential difference across the circuit, despite the increased resistance at the heated connection point.

Step-by-step solution

Understanding the properties of Copper and its temperature dependence

Copper is a good conductor of electricity, which means it has a low resistivity. Resistivity of a material generally increases with temperature. If we heat copper, its resistance will increase.

Analyzing the Circular Circuit

In the given problem, a copper wire is connected to form a circular loop and the connection point is heated. Since the heated connection point has increased resistance, the wire now forms a closed circuit with non-uniform resistance.

Current Flow in a Closed Circuit

In order for current to flow in a closed circuit, there must be a potential difference (voltage) across the circuit. In this case, there is no voltage source mentioned, which implies that there is no potential difference across the circular copper wire.

Determining the possibility of current flow

As there is no potential difference across the circular copper wire, there would not be any current flow in the wire, despite the increased resistance at the heated connection point. In conclusion, no current will flow through the circular copper wire when the connection point is heated by a burning candle, since there is no potential difference across the circuit.