5D20.31 - Stefan's Law - Resistance of Light Bulbs

Plot current and voltage in 5 or 10 volt intervals from 0 to 120 volts. Plot this on a spread sheet along with the calculated value of the resistance. You should see a very dramatic rise in resistance as a function of current, which can be related to resistance as a function of temperature.
Code Number:
5D20.31
Demo Title:
Stefan's Law - Resistance of Light Bulbs
Condition:
Excellent
Principle:
Temperature vs. Resistance
Area of Study:
Electricity & Magnetism

Disclaimer

Equipment:
Variac, "Stefan's Law" light bulb, multimeters.
Procedure:

Plot current and voltage in 5 or 10 volt intervals from 0 to 120 volts.  Plot this on a spread sheet along with the calculated value of the resistance.  You should see a very dramatic rise in resistance as a function of current, which can be related to resistance as a function of temperature.

References:
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  • "Figuring Physics", TPT, Vol. 52, # 2, Feb. 2014, p. 120.
  • Biswajit Ray, "Don't Zap That Light Bulb", TPT, Vol. 44, # 6, p. 374, Sept. 2006.
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  • V. J. Menon and D. C. Agrawal, "Lifetimes of Incandescent Bulbs", TPT, Vol. 41, Feb. 2003, p. 100 - 101.
  • Bruce Denardo, "Temperature of a Lightbulb Filament", TPT, Vol. 40, # 2, Feb. 2002, p. 101 - 105.
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  • B. S. N. Prasad and Rita Mascarenhas, "A Laboratory Experiment on the Application of Stefan's Law to Tungsten Filament Electric Lamps", AJP, Vol. 46, # 4, Apr. 1978, p. 420 - 423.
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  • "Lamp Resistance", Dick and Rae Physics Demo Notebook, 04-93.
  • "Light Bulbs and Log-Log Plot", Dick and Rae Physics Demo Notebook, 03-93.
  • Slavko Kocijancic and Colm O'Sullivan, "Are Dead Chickens Ohmic?", Physics Education, Vol. 39, # 1, Jan. 2004, p. 69 - 73.
  • Yaakov Kraftmakher, "3.7, Thermal Noise", Experiments and Demonstrations in Physics, ISBN 981-256-602-3, p. 191.
  • Yaakov Kraftmakher, "2.6, Light Bulb", Experiments and Demonstrations in Physics, ISBN 981-256-602-3, p. 108.
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  • John H. Moore, Christopher C. Davis, Michael A. Coplan, Sandra C. Greer, "Continuum Sources", Second Edition Building Scientific Apparatus, p. 196 - 198.
  • Jearl Walker, "Simple and Vivid Demonstrations of Advanced Concepts in Physics", The Amateur Scientist, 1983.

Disclaimer: These demonstrations are provided only for illustrative use by persons affiliated with The University of Iowa and only under the direction of a trained instructor or physicist.  The University of Iowa is not responsible for demonstrations performed by those using their own equipment or who choose to use this reference material for their own purpose.  The demonstrations included here are within the public domain and can be found in materials contained in libraries, bookstores, and through electronic sources.  Performing all or any portion of any of these demonstrations, with or without revisions not depicted here entails inherent risks.  These risks include, without limitation, bodily injury (and possibly death), including risks to health that may be temporary or permanent and that may exacerbate a pre-existing medical condition; and property loss or damage.  Anyone performing any part of these demonstrations, even with revisions, knowingly and voluntarily assumes all risks associated with them.