The American University in Cairo

Physics 112 - Fall 08

HW6
1- If bismuth has 3.00 × 1017/m3 charge carriers/cm , calculate the drift
velocity, in m/s, in a square wire 1.00 mm on a side carrying a current of 4.50 A.

2- Aluminum has an atomic weight of 27.0 and a density of 2.699 g/cm3.

Assume that aluminum has 3 free electrons per atom. If an aluminum wire of
diameter 1.00 cm carries a current of 1200 amperes, find
a. the drift velocity, and
b. the current density.

3- Given that bismuth, a semi-metal, has a density of 9.80 g/cm3 and a

charge carrier density of 7.65 × 1018 /cm3. Bismuth has an atomic mass of 209.
a. Determine the number of charge carriers per atom.
b. Calculate the drift velocity of the charge carriers in a wire of cross section
2
1.75 mm carrying a current of 9.50 A.

4- The resistivity of copper is 8.00 × 10-8 ohm .m. Calculate the resistance
of 1500 m of round copper wire of diameter 1.00 mm.