The conical resistor conundrum: A potential solution

American Journal of Physics

Volumn 64, Issue 9, 1996, Pages 1150-1153

  Romano, Joseph D ^a   Price, Richard H ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF UTAH   (United States)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

EID: 0030495992     PISSN: 00029505     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1119/1.18335     Document Type: Article

References (11)

1. We do not claim to have made an exhaustive search of the texts. Of 13 calculus-based introductory texts we looked into, the truncated cone problem was found in the following nine: W. P. Crummett and A. B. Western, University Physics (Brown, Dubuque, 1994), Chap. 26, Prob. 49; P. M. Fishbane, S. Gasiorowicz, and S. T. Thornton, Physics for Scientists and Engineers (Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1993), Chap. 27, Prob. 55; D. Halliday and R. Resnick, Fundamentals of Physics (Wiley, New York, 1981), Chap. 28, Prob. 25; A. Hudson and R. Nelson, University Physics (Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, New York, 1982), Chap. 24, Prob. 24C-1; F. J. Keller, W. E. Gettys, and M. J. Skove, Physics (McGraw-Hill, New York, 1993), Chap. 24, Prob. 5; H. C. Ohanian, Physics (Norton, New York, 1985), Chap. 28, Prob. 25; R. A. Serway, Physics for Scientists and Engineers (Saunders, Philadelphia, 1992), 3rd ed., Chap. 27, Prob. 68; P. A. Tipler, Physics for Scientists and Engineers (Worth, New York, 1991), Chap. 22, Prob. 69; R. Wolfson and J. A. Pasachoff, Physics (Harper Collins, New York, 1995), Chap. 27, Prob. 69.
2. We do not claim to have made an exhaustive search of the texts. Of 13 calculus-based introductory texts we looked into, the truncated cone problem was found in the following nine: W. P. Crummett and A. B. Western, University Physics (Brown, Dubuque, 1994), Chap. 26, Prob. 49; P. M. Fishbane, S. Gasiorowicz, and S. T. Thornton, Physics for Scientists and Engineers (Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1993), Chap. 27, Prob. 55; D. Halliday and R. Resnick, Fundamentals of Physics (Wiley, New York, 1981), Chap. 28, Prob. 25; A. Hudson and R. Nelson, University Physics (Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, New York, 1982), Chap. 24, Prob. 24C-1; F. J. Keller, W. E. Gettys, and M. J. Skove, Physics (McGraw-Hill, New York, 1993), Chap. 24, Prob. 5; H. C. Ohanian, Physics (Norton, New York, 1985), Chap. 28, Prob. 25; R. A. Serway, Physics for Scientists and Engineers (Saunders, Philadelphia, 1992), 3rd ed., Chap. 27, Prob. 68; P. A. Tipler, Physics for Scientists and Engineers (Worth, New York, 1991), Chap. 22, Prob. 69; R. Wolfson and J. A. Pasachoff, Physics (Harper Collins, New York, 1995), Chap. 27, Prob. 69.
3. We do not claim to have made an exhaustive search of the texts. Of 13 calculus-based introductory texts we looked into, the truncated cone problem was found in the following nine: W. P. Crummett and A. B. Western, University Physics (Brown, Dubuque, 1994), Chap. 26, Prob. 49; P. M. Fishbane, S. Gasiorowicz, and S. T. Thornton, Physics for Scientists and Engineers (Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1993), Chap. 27, Prob. 55; D. Halliday and R. Resnick, Fundamentals of Physics (Wiley, New York, 1981), Chap. 28, Prob. 25; A. Hudson and R. Nelson, University Physics (Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, New York, 1982), Chap. 24, Prob. 24C-1; F. J. Keller, W. E. Gettys, and M. J. Skove, Physics (McGraw-Hill, New York, 1993), Chap. 24, Prob. 5; H. C. Ohanian, Physics (Norton, New York, 1985), Chap. 28, Prob. 25; R. A. Serway, Physics for Scientists and Engineers (Saunders, Philadelphia, 1992), 3rd ed., Chap. 27, Prob. 68; P. A. Tipler, Physics for Scientists and Engineers (Worth, New York, 1991), Chap. 22, Prob. 69; R. Wolfson and J. A. Pasachoff, Physics (Harper Collins, New York, 1995), Chap. 27, Prob. 69.
4. We do not claim to have made an exhaustive search of the texts. Of 13 calculus-based introductory texts we looked into, the truncated cone problem was found in the following nine: W. P. Crummett and A. B. Western, University Physics (Brown, Dubuque, 1994), Chap. 26, Prob. 49; P. M. Fishbane, S. Gasiorowicz, and S. T. Thornton, Physics for Scientists and Engineers (Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1993), Chap. 27, Prob. 55; D. Halliday and R. Resnick, Fundamentals of Physics (Wiley, New York, 1981), Chap. 28, Prob. 25; A. Hudson and R. Nelson, University Physics (Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, New York, 1982), Chap. 24, Prob. 24C-1; F. J. Keller, W. E. Gettys, and M. J. Skove, Physics (McGraw-Hill, New York, 1993), Chap. 24, Prob. 5; H. C. Ohanian, Physics (Norton, New York, 1985), Chap. 28, Prob. 25; R. A. Serway, Physics for Scientists and Engineers (Saunders, Philadelphia, 1992), 3rd ed., Chap. 27, Prob. 68; P. A. Tipler, Physics for Scientists and Engineers (Worth, New York, 1991), Chap. 22, Prob. 69; R. Wolfson and J. A. Pasachoff, Physics (Harper Collins, New York, 1995), Chap. 27, Prob. 69.
5. We do not claim to have made an exhaustive search of the texts. Of 13 calculus-based introductory texts we looked into, the truncated cone problem was found in the following nine: W. P. Crummett and A. B. Western, University Physics (Brown, Dubuque, 1994), Chap. 26, Prob. 49; P. M. Fishbane, S. Gasiorowicz, and S. T. Thornton, Physics for Scientists and Engineers (Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1993), Chap. 27, Prob. 55; D. Halliday and R. Resnick, Fundamentals of Physics (Wiley, New York, 1981), Chap. 28, Prob. 25; A. Hudson and R. Nelson, University Physics (Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, New York, 1982), Chap. 24, Prob. 24C-1; F. J. Keller, W. E. Gettys, and M. J. Skove, Physics (McGraw-Hill, New York, 1993), Chap. 24, Prob. 5; H. C. Ohanian, Physics (Norton, New York, 1985), Chap. 28, Prob. 25; R. A. Serway, Physics for Scientists and Engineers (Saunders, Philadelphia, 1992), 3rd ed., Chap. 27, Prob. 68; P. A. Tipler, Physics for Scientists and Engineers (Worth, New York, 1991), Chap. 22, Prob. 69; R. Wolfson and J. A. Pasachoff, Physics (Harper Collins, New York, 1995), Chap. 27, Prob. 69.
6. We do not claim to have made an exhaustive search of the texts. Of 13 calculus-based introductory texts we looked into, the truncated cone problem was found in the following nine: W. P. Crummett and A. B. Western, University Physics (Brown, Dubuque, 1994), Chap. 26, Prob. 49; P. M. Fishbane, S. Gasiorowicz, and S. T. Thornton, Physics for Scientists and Engineers (Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1993), Chap. 27, Prob. 55; D. Halliday and R. Resnick, Fundamentals of Physics (Wiley, New York, 1981), Chap. 28, Prob. 25; A. Hudson and R. Nelson, University Physics (Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, New York, 1982), Chap. 24, Prob. 24C-1; F. J. Keller, W. E. Gettys, and M. J. Skove, Physics (McGraw-Hill, New York, 1993), Chap. 24, Prob. 5; H. C. Ohanian, Physics (Norton, New York, 1985), Chap. 28, Prob. 25; R. A. Serway, Physics for Scientists and Engineers (Saunders, Philadelphia, 1992), 3rd ed., Chap. 27, Prob. 68; P. A. Tipler, Physics for Scientists and Engineers (Worth, New York, 1991), Chap. 22, Prob. 69; R. Wolfson and J. A. Pasachoff, Physics (Harper Collins, New York, 1995), Chap. 27, Prob. 69.
7. We do not claim to have made an exhaustive search of the texts. Of 13 calculus-based introductory texts we looked into, the truncated cone problem was found in the following nine: W. P. Crummett and A. B. Western, University Physics (Brown, Dubuque, 1994), Chap. 26, Prob. 49; P. M. Fishbane, S. Gasiorowicz, and S. T. Thornton, Physics for Scientists and Engineers (Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1993), Chap. 27, Prob. 55; D. Halliday and R. Resnick, Fundamentals of Physics (Wiley, New York, 1981), Chap. 28, Prob. 25; A. Hudson and R. Nelson, University Physics (Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, New York, 1982), Chap. 24, Prob. 24C-1; F. J. Keller, W. E. Gettys, and M. J. Skove, Physics (McGraw-Hill, New York, 1993), Chap. 24, Prob. 5; H. C. Ohanian, Physics (Norton, New York, 1985), Chap. 28, Prob. 25; R. A. Serway, Physics for Scientists and Engineers (Saunders, Philadelphia, 1992), 3rd ed., Chap. 27, Prob. 68; P. A. Tipler, Physics for Scientists and Engineers (Worth, New York, 1991), Chap. 22, Prob. 69; R. Wolfson and J. A. Pasachoff, Physics (Harper Collins, New York, 1995), Chap. 27, Prob. 69.
8. We do not claim to have made an exhaustive search of the texts. Of 13 calculus-based introductory texts we looked into, the truncated cone problem was found in the following nine: W. P. Crummett and A. B. Western, University Physics (Brown, Dubuque, 1994), Chap. 26, Prob. 49; P. M. Fishbane, S. Gasiorowicz, and S. T. Thornton, Physics for Scientists and Engineers (Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1993), Chap. 27, Prob. 55; D. Halliday and R. Resnick, Fundamentals of Physics (Wiley, New York, 1981), Chap. 28, Prob. 25; A. Hudson and R. Nelson, University Physics (Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, New York, 1982), Chap. 24, Prob. 24C-1; F. J. Keller, W. E. Gettys, and M. J. Skove, Physics (McGraw-Hill, New York, 1993), Chap. 24, Prob. 5; H. C. Ohanian, Physics (Norton, New York, 1985), Chap. 28, Prob. 25; R. A. Serway, Physics for Scientists and Engineers (Saunders, Philadelphia, 1992), 3rd ed., Chap. 27, Prob. 68; P. A. Tipler, Physics for Scientists and Engineers (Worth, New York, 1991), Chap. 22, Prob. 69; R. Wolfson and J. A. Pasachoff, Physics (Harper Collins, New York, 1995), Chap. 27, Prob. 69.
9. We do not claim to have made an exhaustive search of the texts. Of 13 calculus-based introductory texts we looked into, the truncated cone problem was found in the following nine: W. P. Crummett and A. B. Western, University Physics (Brown, Dubuque, 1994), Chap. 26, Prob. 49; P. M. Fishbane, S. Gasiorowicz, and S. T. Thornton, Physics for Scientists and Engineers (Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1993), Chap. 27, Prob. 55; D. Halliday and R. Resnick, Fundamentals of Physics (Wiley, New York, 1981), Chap. 28, Prob. 25; A. Hudson and R. Nelson, University Physics (Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, New York, 1982), Chap. 24, Prob. 24C-1; F. J. Keller, W. E. Gettys, and M. J. Skove, Physics (McGraw-Hill, New York, 1993), Chap. 24, Prob. 5; H. C. Ohanian, Physics (Norton, New York, 1985), Chap. 28, Prob. 25; R. A. Serway, Physics for Scientists and Engineers (Saunders, Philadelphia, 1992), 3rd ed., Chap. 27, Prob. 68; P. A. Tipler, Physics for Scientists and Engineers (Worth, New York, 1991), Chap. 22, Prob. 69; R. Wolfson and J. A. Pasachoff, Physics (Harper Collins, New York, 1995), Chap. 27, Prob. 69.
10. K. S. Kundert and A. Sangiovanni-Vincentelli, Sparse (University of California, Berkeley, 1988).
11. Of those listed in Ref. 1, texts which instruct the student to assume uniform current flow are those by: Crummett and Western; Halliday and Resnick; Hudson and Nelson; Serway. In the Keller, Gettys and Skove text, the student is told that uniform current flow follows from the assumption of a small taper angle for the cone.