A bird lands on a bare copper wire carrying a current of 27 A. The wire is 8 gauge, which means that its cross-sectional area is 0.13 cm2.

(a) Find the difference in potential between the bird's feet, assuming they are separated by a distance of 7.2 cm.

To find the potential difference between the bird's feet, we need to use Ohm's law and the formula for electrical resistance.

First, we need to calculate the resistance of the copper wire using its cross-sectional area. The resistance can be found with the formula:

R = (ρ * L) / A

Where:
R = Resistance
ρ = Resistivity of copper (1.7 x 10^-8 Ω∙m)
L = Length of the wire
A = Cross-sectional area of the wire

We are not given the length of the wire, so we can't calculate the resistance directly. However, we know that the resistivity of copper is constant. Therefore, we just need to calculate the resistance in terms of the length of the wire and then solve for it.

Second, we can use Ohm's law to find the potential difference (voltage) between the bird's feet. Ohm's law states that:

V = I * R

Where:
V = Voltage (potential difference)
I = Current flowing through the wire
R = Resistance

Plugging in the values given:
I = 27 A
R = (ρ * L) / A

Now we can calculate the potential difference.

(a) Find the difference in potential between the bird's feet, assuming they are separated by a distance of 7.2 cm:

1. Calculate the resistance:
R = (ρ * L) / A

Since L is unknown, let's express it in terms of the given distance (7.2 cm):
L = 0.072 m (conversion from cm to m)

Now we can substitute the values and calculate the resistance:

R = (1.7 x 10^-8 Ω∙m * 0.072 m) / 0.13 cm^2

2. Calculate the potential difference:
V = I * R

Substitute the known values:

V = 27 A * R

Now, you can calculate the resistance and then the potential difference between the bird's feet by plugging in the values into the formula.