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Current Electricity
(Conceptual Questions)
1: Why it is not possible to measure the drift speed of electron by timing their travel
along a conductor?
Statement:
It is not possible to measure the drift speed of electron by timing their travel along a
conductor.
Reason:
When a potential difference is applied across the ends of a conductor, an electric field is
set up at every point of the conductor. The free electron now feels drifted opposite to the
direction of the applied field. During the motion of free electrons, atoms of the lattice of the
conductor come in their way. The collisions with the atoms of the conductor continuously
change the path of the electrons. They move in different unpredictable directions.
Therefore, their path of motion is quite inconsistent. In order to reach the other end of the
conductor, different electrons take different paths inside the conductor depending upon
their interaction (collisions) with the atoms.
Conclusion:
So we can’t say an electron about the speed of electron by timing their motion from one
end to the other of the conductor.
……….. (1)
Here ε is the electromotive force in the circuit, I is the current flowing in the circuit, R is
the load and r is the internal resistance of the emf.
Law of conservation of energy(Explanation):
Consider this equation. The left side of the equation is the energy gained by a unit
charge as it goes through the battery. The right side gives an account of the utilization of
that energy; part of the energy gained (Ir), is dissipated into the battery and the rest, IR,
in the external circuit. Thus the emf supplies energy to the charge as source of energy
and the potential drop across various elements dissipate this energy into other forms of
energy.
Fig:
8: Why rise in the temperature of a conductor is accompanied by a rise in the
resistance?
Statement:Rise in the temperature of a conductor is accompanied by a rise in the
resistance:
Reason:
Resistance is the opposition offered by the conductor to the flow of electrons. This
resistance comes due to the collision of conduction electrons with the lattice atoms of the
conductor and the bound electrons. Clearly, it depends upon the space among the lattice
atoms on which the free electrons move. Now when the conductor heats up through any
means, the atoms in the conductor gains energy and vibrate more vigorously with
greater amplitudes. This narrows the space for the free electrons to move and collide with
the atoms more frequently as compared to the colder state. Therefore, the resistance of the
conductor increases. It has been found that
R1 and R2 being the resistances of the conductor in colder and hotter state,
respectively, ∆t is the change in temperature and α is called the temperature
coefficient of the resistor.
Unit of Current
Def:
“One amp is the current when one Coulomb of charge flows across any cross-section
of the conductor in one second.”
Unit:
The SI unit of current is Ampere denoted by A (or Amp)
Submultiples:
1 micro ampere = 1 μ A = 10-6 A
2: Explain the electronic current in a metallic wire as due to the drift of free electrons
in the wire.
Current due to drift of free electron:
Drift velocity(def):
“The average velocity with which free electrons are getting drifted in a metallic
conductor under the influence of an electric field is called drift velocity, denoted
by Vd.”
Explanation:
Motion of free electron in the absence of electric field:
A metallic wire consists of a large number of free electrons. They move in random
directions within the body of the metal. However, on the average, equal number of
electrons move along each direction and the net current in the wire is thus zero.
Saying more strictly, the free electrons do not move from one end of the metallic wire
to the other end in a straight line. They constantly, bump into atoms and other
electrons and this makes their path very inconsistent.
Motion of electrons in the presence of field :
If the ends of the wire are connected to some source of potential difference, an electric
field is set up at every point within the wire. Consequently, the electrons feel a force in
the direction opposite to the direction of the electric intensity.
Drifting of electrons:
As a result of the force, and collisions with the lattice atoms, the electrons start
drifting with a certain velocity, called drift velocity. Though they are deflected left
and right or even backwards, eventually they make to the other end.
Comparasion of velocities:
Although their instantaneous velocity is high, it will take them much longer to battle
their way to the other end of the conductor. So the drift velocity is very low.
Drift velocity is found to be of the order of 10-5 m/s whereas the velocity of a free
electron is several hundred kilometers per second.
3: State Ohm’s law. Discuss its scope and validity (a) Discuss resistivity and
conductivity of a material (b) How does resistance change with temperature?
Information:
George Simon Ohm experimentally established a fundamental relation between the
voltage and the current in a metallic conductor, called Ohm’s Law.
Statement:
“The current I in a metal wire is directly proportional to the
voltage V applied across its ends, provided the physical state such as the
temperature of the conductor is kept constant.”
Mathematically,
V = IR
Here R is a constant known as the resistance of the conducting material.
Factors upon which resistance depends:
Resistance depends upon the
1. Nature (such as which element the conductor is).
2.Dimensions (such as the cross-sectional area is small or large).
3.Physical state (such as temperature) of the conductor.
(2) Thermistor:
Thermistors are made of semi-conductors and the I – V
graph bends upward, showing more current with
correspondingly low voltage increase. The covalent
bonds in semi-conductors break due to increase of
thermal energy with the passage of current, producing
a current pulse.
(3) Semiconductor diode:
The I-V graph of semi conductor diodes shows the current passes when the potential
difference is applied in one direction and is almost zero in the opposite direction. A
semiconductor has a small resistance when the PD is applied in one way and a large
resistance when it is reversed. This one way property makes it useful as a rectifier for
changing AC to DC. The graph does not pass through the origin.
Resistivity or specific resistance of a material
Def: “Resistivity is the resistance of a conductor having unit cross section and unit
length.” It is denoted by ρ
Explanation
Resistivity of a material depends on the nature, dimensions and temperature of the
material. At constant temperature, R is found to vary directly with its length L and
inversely with its cross sectional area A.
Conductivity of a substance:
Conductivity, like resistivity, describes the electrical properties of the material.
It is reciprocal of resistivity and is denoted by σ.
σ = 1/ρ = L/RA
Unit:
Its unit is moh/m or Siemens /m. Greater conductivity, less resistivity, and a good
conductor the material is.
Effect of temperature on resistance
It has been found that in case of metals, the resistance increases with increase in the
temperature over a wide range below and above 00C. The increase is slight and nearly
linear. Let’s suppose,
Resistance of the metal at reference temperature, say, 00C = R0
Resistance of the metal at some other temperature like t0C = Rt
Therefore, change in resistance = Rt-R0 = ΔR
Change in temperature of the metal = t-0 = t0C = t
Experiments have shown that,
Fig:
Rheostat as current control:
It makes use of the variable resistor as a current control device. The resistance depends
upon the length of the resistor. The sliding terminal C provides a variable length of the
resistor and hence a variable resistance when inserted in the circuit. When the C is slid
toward A, the length is decreased and the resistance is also decreased. Similarly,
moving it away from the terminal A, making use of more length and hence the
resistance also increases. In this way the current is controlled in the circuit
Rheostat as Potential Divider
A potential divider is used for getting a variable potential from a fixed potential
difference. A potential difference V is provided with the help of a battery across the ends
of a variable resistor. If R is the resistance of the wire, the current flowing in the resistor
is
I = V/R.
Let RBC be the resistance of the portion BC of
the wire. The current passing through this
portion is also I. The PD between the points B
and C is given by VBC =I RBC
RBC increases as we go away from A and decreases as C comes close to A. This
changes the ratio RBC to R and hence a variable voltage can be obtained. If V is
regarded as input PD to the potential divider and VBC as the output PD, then VBC can
be tapped off and applied to another circuit.
6: What is wheat stone bridge? Explain with diagram the balancing, the principle
and the working of this bridge.
Invention:
It was invented by Samuel Hunter Christie in the year 1833, which was later
popularized by Sir Charles Wheatstone in 1843.
Def:
Wheatstone bridge,is used to calculate the unknown resistance by balancing two legs
of the bridge circuit, of which one leg includes the component of unknown resistance.
Other name:
Resistance bridge
Construction:
It consists of a battery, Galvanometer and two fixed resistances R1 and R2 and one
variable resistance R3 and the unknown resistance Rx which is to be found.
The schematic diagram:
ABC and ADC are the two branches and the galvanometer circuit is the bridge across
them. The battery is connected between points A and C and the galvanometer between
B and D.
Principle:
The Wheatstone bridge works on the principle of null deflection
Principle:
A potentiometer works on the principle of balancing one voltage against another
in parallel with it.
Construction:
It consists of a long resistance wire AB, sometimes 6 m in length, and of uniform
diameter. This resistance wire R, a working battery and a variable resistance Rx all
connected in series. Rx enables us to develop a convenient output voltage V between A
and B, maintaining a constant current I in the circuit.
Working:
Now, according to Ohm’s law I = V/R
A source of emf ε which is to be measured is connected along with a Galvanometer
through the sliding contact C. As C slides over AB, a variable potential difference is
available between A and C. If r represents the resistance between A and C, the
potential drop between A and C is given by
Where L is the total length of the wire and l is the length AC. This equation gives the
unknown emf in terms of the ratio of two known lengths and voltage applied.
Ordinarily, the potential drop along the wire is calibrated and the balanced point
gives directly the unknown emf ε
Comparison of emfs
Potentiometer can also be used for the comparison of two emf sources. The balancing
length of emf ε1 of a cell is found and compared with the balancing length of a
standard cell which is also found separately. If ε and ε1 are the two emf sources
nulled at lengths l and l1 respectively, then
Here, the three currents entering the node, I1, I2, I3 are all positive in value and the two
currents leaving the node, I4 and I5 are negative in value. Then this means we can also
rewrite the equation as;
I1 + I2 + I3 – I4 – I5 = 0
The term Node in an electrical circuit generally refers to a connection or junction of two
or more current carrying paths or elements such as cables and components. Also for
current to flow either in or out of a node a closed circuit path must exist.
Uses:
We can use Kirchhoff’s current law when analysing parallel circuits.
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