What happens to a thermistor's electrical resistance as temperature increases?

A thermistor is a type of resistor whose resistance varies significantly with temperature changes. Specifically, there are two main types of thermistors: NTC (Negative Temperature Coefficient) and PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient). In the case of NTC thermistors, which are more commonly used, the electrical resistance decreases as the temperature increases. This characteristic allows them to be used effectively in temperature sensing and control applications.

When temperature increases, the increased thermal energy leads to more charge carriers becoming available in the material, which reduces resistance. This behavior is crucial in various applications, including temperature measurement and compensation in electronic circuits.

Understanding the behavior of thermistors is essential for their effective application in designing circuits that require temperature monitoring or control, exemplifying how resistance and temperature are inversely related for NTC thermistors.