The coil in a heater is made of

The coil in an electric heater is known as a heating element [c1]. Nichrome, an alloy of nickel and chromium, is the standard material used for these coils because of its high electrical resistivity and high melting point [t3][t4]. Unlike copper, which is a very efficient conductor and does not produce sufficient heat for such applications [t6], nichrome generates significant heat for a given current [c2]. A critical advantage of nichrome is its ability to form a stable, protective layer of chromium oxide when heated to red-hot temperatures; this layer prevents further oxidation and prevents the wire from becoming brittle or breaking [t4][t9]. While tungsten is also used for heating, it is primarily utilized as a filament in incandescent lamps rather than in standard room heater coils [t7]. Therefore, nichrome is the most suitable and common material for heater coils [t3].

Sources

1. [1] Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 4: Electricity: Magnetic and Heating Effects > Think like a scientist > p. 53
2. [2] Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 4: Electricity: Magnetic and Heating Effects > Keep the curiosity alive > p. 59
3. [3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heating_element
4. [4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nichrome