What will generally happen when a smaller gauge wire is used for transmission?

Using a smaller gauge wire for transmission typically leads to increased measured loss. The reason for this lies in the physical characteristics of the wire itself. A smaller gauge wire has a larger resistance per unit length compared to a larger gauge wire. When electric current passes through a conductor, the resistance can lead to energy loss in the form of heat, which is described as resistance loss or I²R loss, where I is the current and R is the resistance.

As the resistance increases with smaller gauge wire, so does the amount of energy converted to heat, which results in less signal power reaching the end of the transmission line. Consequently, the signal that does reach the destination is weaker, which can significantly affect overall performance and signal integrity over longer distances.

Other options like reducing measured loss or having no effect on loss do not hold true when using smaller gauge wire, as the inherent resistance characteristics directly counter these outcomes. Similarly, the claim that smaller wire improves signal quality is also inaccurate, since weaker signals due to increased loss can lead to poorer quality transmission.