What happens to resistance in a circuit as it heats up due to current flow?

In a circuit, as the temperature of the components increases due to the flow of current, the resistance typically increases. This phenomenon is primarily due to the behavior of the electrons and the lattice structure of the conductor material.

As temperature rises, the atoms in the conductor vibrate more vigorously. This increased atomic movement makes it more difficult for electrons to flow through the conductor, thus increasing the resistance. Most metals, which are common conductors, follow this trend.

This relationship can be described by the formula for resistance, which states that resistance is directly proportional to temperature for metallic conductors. Therefore, when the circuit heats up, the resistance does not decrease or remain constant; rather, it increases as more thermal energy leads to increased scattering of charge carriers. Fluctuation of resistance is not typical in a steady circuit condition, where one would expect a more predictable relationship based on the temperature and the material properties.