Resistance – Natural sciences – Physics
We explain the concept of resistance in different fields, such as sports or physics, and its characteristics.
What is resistance?
Resistance is the action or ability to withstand, tolerate or oppose. However, its definition is subject to the discipline in which it is applied. The term comes from the Latin resistĭa.
Endurance in sport
In sports, endurance is the ability to continue a particular activity beyond physical or mental fatigue. In the second case, some of the effects that the body can suffer due to fatigue are lower physical and mental performance, especially in terms of attention. Muscle aches or headaches are widespread, and there are also cases of dizziness or ringing in the ears.
There are several types of body resistance: aerobic or anaerobic, basic or specific are some examples. To improve physical resistance, rigorous training is necessary, with particular methods depending on the objective.
Resistance in the social sciences
From the social sciences, especially politics, resistance can also be understood differently. In general, it is always an opposition to the status quo. This concept began to be studied in the late sixties due to the social protests of those years. At this historical moment, the fight was for freedom. The battle took place from the public sphere, more precisely from politics.
resistance in psychology
From psychology, resistance is taken differently. It is understood as the ability not to allow the analysis of the unconscious. As a reaction, various manifestations take place. This resistance depends on the psyche and mood of individuals. This resistance often arises because of how difficult or unfortunate it is to carry out the process proposed by psychoanalysis.
resistance in physics
Resistance in physics can also be defined in different ways. One of them is the electrical resistance, which represents the opposition faced by the current within a closed-type of an electrical circuit. This opposition causes the flow in the circulation of electrons to slow down or decrease.
Electrical resistance indicates how well a given object resists an electrical current. Resistance depends on the ‘things’ material, geometric characteristics (such as length and cross-sectional area), and temperature. If we think of a cable made of some conductive material, the longer and narrower it is, the more excellent the resistance. Also, for most conductive materials, the higher the temperature, the higher the resistance.
Electrical resistance can be used to dissipate thermal energy or light energy. For example, a light bulb is a resistor that loses power through light and heat.
