A semiconductor whose resistance decreases rapidly with increasing temperature is called what?

Study for the IGCSE Physics Electricity. Study with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each question has hints and explanations. Get ready for your exam!

Multiple Choice

A semiconductor whose resistance decreases rapidly with increasing temperature is called what?

Explanation:
The concept here is how resistance changes with temperature in different electronic components. A thermistor is a resistor whose resistance depends strongly on temperature. For a semiconductor thermistor, the resistance falls as temperature rises because more charge carriers become available, so it has a negative temperature coefficient. This rapid drop with temperature is exactly what’s described. An LDR changes mainly with light, not temperature. A filament bulb’s resistance increases as it heats up. A diode isn’t characterized by a simple resistance that decreases with temperature; its behavior with temperature is more about shifts in its I–V characteristics, not a straightforward resistance trend.

The concept here is how resistance changes with temperature in different electronic components. A thermistor is a resistor whose resistance depends strongly on temperature. For a semiconductor thermistor, the resistance falls as temperature rises because more charge carriers become available, so it has a negative temperature coefficient. This rapid drop with temperature is exactly what’s described.

An LDR changes mainly with light, not temperature. A filament bulb’s resistance increases as it heats up. A diode isn’t characterized by a simple resistance that decreases with temperature; its behavior with temperature is more about shifts in its I–V characteristics, not a straightforward resistance trend.

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