What does an increase in resistance typically lead to in a conductor?

An increase in resistance in a conductor typically affects both the current and the heat produced. According to Ohm's Law, which states that voltage (V) is equal to the current (I) multiplied by the resistance (R) in a circuit (V = IR), if the resistance in a circuit increases while the voltage remains constant, then the current must decrease. This is because the current is inversely proportional to resistance when the voltage is fixed.

Additionally, as the resistance increases and current decreases, the conductor still generates heat due to the electrical energy being converted to thermal energy in accordance with Joule's law. The amount of heat produced in a conductor is proportional to the square of the current (H = I²R), indicating that even if the current decreases slightly, the increased resistance can still contribute significantly to the overall heat produced in the conductor.

Thus, an increase in resistance leads to both decreased current flow and increased heat production, making the answer combining both effects the most accurate.