Heating Effect of Electric Current is Used in Various Appliances like

  • Electric Bulb
  • Electric Iron
  • Electric Fuse

Let's study them one by one

 

Electric Bulb

electric-bulb---teachoo.png

 

Electric bulb contains following

  • Thin Filament made of Tungsten metal
  • Connecting Copper Wire to make current pass
  • Glass Covering
  • Argon or Nitrogen Gas enclosed in the bulb

 

When electric current is passed through tungsten filament

it glows and produces light and heat

 

Note-

Tungsten Metal is used to make filament because

It offers higher resistance ,and produces more heat

it has very high melting point (3380 Degree Celsius) .It does not melt while producing heat

 

Note-
Argon or nitrogen Gas is used instead of Oxygen in Glass Bulb because
they do not react with tungsten like oxygen
This makes the bulb last longer

Electric Iron and Electric Kettle

electric-iron---teachoo.png

These contain

  • Coils(Circular wires) made of Nichrome Metal
  • Connecting Copper Wires

Note = Nichrome is an alloy of nickel and chromium
It offers high resistance and produce large amount of heat
They are connected to copper wires which are good conductor of electricity but offer very little resistance and hence very less heat

Hence, When electric current is passed

Copper wire doesn't heat up,it only passes electricity to Nichrome Coil

But Nichrome Coils get heated up producing large amount of heat

This heat is used for ironing clothes or heating water.

 

Electrical Fuse

electric-fuse---teachoo.png

What is an Electrical Fuse?

Fuse is an electrical safety device

If excess current flows through an appliance,it breaks off the circuit

Thus it prevents overheating of appliance and electrical fires

 

How does Fuse work?

It contains wire made of metal like aluminium,copper,lead etc

these metals have low melting point

When excess current flows through circuit,the metal wire melts. Thus, breaking the circuit

Thus it prevents overheating of electrical appliance and electrical fires.

Ask a doubt
Maninder Singh's photo - Co-founder, Teachoo

Made by

Maninder Singh

CA Maninder Singh is a Chartered Accountant for the past 14 years and a teacher from the past 18 years. He teaches Science, Economics, Accounting and English at Teachoo