EFFECT OF NITRIC ACID (HNO3) ON THE EFFICIENCY OF COPPER (Cu) AS A CONDUCTOR

¹NdanusaB., ²LimanM. S., ³OladipupoM. D. and ⁴AbubakarB.

^{1& 3} Department of Physics,Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai, Niger State, Nigeria.                 

 ²Department of Physics, Federal University, Lafia, Nasarawa State, Nigeria.

⁴Department of Electrical Engineering, Federal Polytechnic, Bida, Niger State.

E-mail: bndanusa@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

The Corrosive effect of acidic solution (HNO₃) on copper as a conductor was carried out in this work. Copper wire of diameter 2.20mm (4mm² in Cross Sectional Area) were cut and immersed in acidic (HNO₃) solution of 5%; 7.5% and 10% concentration respectively. These solutions were kept in an environment at a temperature of 34^oc and were observed between 72hours and 720hours. The results showed that the concentration of these acidic solutions have great effect on the cross sectional area of the conductor (copper), the longer the period of the observation the lower the cross sectional area hence the lower the conductivity of the copper and hence the lower the efficiency of its conductance.