Enter the length, cross-sectional area, and resistivity of the material into the calculator below to calculate the resistance of a wire.

Wire Resistance Formula

The following equation is used to calculate the resistance of a wire.

R = ρ * L / A

  • Where R is the resistance in Ohms
  • ρ is the resistivity of the material the wire is made of. (Ohms*meters)
  • L is the length of the wire (meters)
  • A is the cross-sectional area (m^2)

Wire Resistance Definition

Wire resistance is defined as the total resistance to electrical flow moving through a wire.

How to increase wire resistance?

In this case, the key-value will be the resistivity of the material. This will vary depending on what a wire is made of. For example, the resistivity of something like copper will be much lower than something like glass, since copper is a conductor and glass is often used as an electrical insulator.

Another way to increase the resistance of a wire is to increase its length. This can be seen in electrical power wires that run throughout the country. These wires are extremely long. As a result, they have large resistance, and energy is lost through their travels. Conversely, increasing the cross-sectional area increase the resistance of a wire.

FAQ

What is wire resistance?

Wire resistance is a measure of the resistance to electrical flow through the entire length of a wire.

Wire Resistance Calculator