How does temperature affect a conductor?

Temperature has a significant impact on the resistance of a conductor. As the temperature increases, the atoms within the conductor vibrate more intensely, leading to more frequent collisions between the conducting electrons and the atoms. This increase in collisions causes an increase in resistance, which can hinder the flow of electric current.

In contrast, at lower temperatures, the atoms vibrate less, resulting in fewer collisions and, therefore, lower resistance. For many metallic conductors, this relationship between temperature and resistance is generally linear over a certain range, allowing for predictable changes in resistance with temperature variations.

The other options do not accurately define how temperature affects a conductor. While it is true that temperature can influence the current flow, it does so indirectly through the change in resistance. The idea of temperature changing the structure of a conductor is more relevant to materials with significant thermal expansion or phase changes, and discussing voltage in terms of how temperature affects conductivity does not address the fundamental relationship in conductors directly.