======Nichrome Wire Kettle======


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**Alternative titles:** Heating Water with Nichrome Wire
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====Summary====                   
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====Procedure====  
  - Wrap a length of nichrome wire around a pencil to form a tight coil, leaving about 5–6 cm of wire free at each end.  
  - Remove the coil from the pencil and place it into a beaker so the coil sits near the bottom.  
  - Use Blu-tack if necessary to secure the wire ends on the edge of the beaker.  
  - Fill the beaker with enough water to fully cover the nichrome coil.  
  - Attach one alligator clip to each end of the nichrome wire.  
  - Connect the clips to a power pack or a 9-volt battery.  
  - Place the setup on a heat-proof mat.  
  - Switch on the power and observe the water heating with a thermometer.



====Links==== 
How to make an electric kettle experiment - Caleb Salagaras: 
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====Variations====
  * Use different voltages from the power pack to compare heating speed.  
  * Try using different lengths or thicknesses of nichrome wire to observe how resistance affects heating.



====Safety Precautions====
  * The nichrome wire becomes extremely hot - do not touch it while the power is on.  
  * Always place the experiment on a heat-proof mat.  
  * Keep the power source and connections dry at all times.  
  * Disconnect the power before adjusting the wire or moving the setup.  
  * Supervision is required when using electrical equipment.




====Questions to Consider====
  * What form of energy is converted into heat in this experiment? (Electrical energy.)  
  * Why does nichrome wire get hot when current passes through it? (Its high resistance converts electrical energy into heat energy.)  
  * What are the bubbles that form on the wire? (They are air or water vapor produced as the water heats up.)  
  * How does increasing voltage affect the heating rate? (Higher voltage increases current and therefore produces more heat.)  
  * How does this model demonstrate the operation of a real electric kettle? (Both use a resistive heating element to convert electrical energy into heat to boil water.)