Question

Fuse wire is a
A. Tin-lead alloy
B. Copper-lead alloy
C. Tin-copper alloy
D. Silver-lead alloy

Answer 1

Hint – Here we can use the information that tin wires have high resistances and due to that it heats up faster when the current flows through it. Knowing this will solve your problem.

Complete step-by-step answer:

Fuse wire is made of a tin lead alloy and not of copper for the following reasons:

1. They have high resistance due to high voltage, and when high current flows, the wire heats up easily.
Heating power of wire can be written as ${\text{P = }}{{\text{i}}^{\text{2}}}{\text{R}}$.
2. These have a low melting point that melts and breaks off the circuit if the current is higher than the safety mark.

A copper wire cannot be used in a fuse because it has a high melting point.
Copper wire does not melt easily when a strong electrical current passes through it and can damage electrical appliances attached to it.

Note – Here students need to know the properties of all the given elements in the options and remember those properties. Since, it will help you in various problems of physics and chemistry. Doing this will solve your problems and will help you further.