CHAPTER 1-CONDUCTING MATERIAL (28-32 Marks)

1)
a)State different modes of electron emission.
b) Explain field emission & give 2 applications.
c) Suggest suitable materials and give 2 applications of
a)secondary emission b)photoelectric emission.
d) Give 2 applications of thermionic emission.
e) Define photoelectric emission.
f) Give 2 applications of photoelectric emission.
g) Define thermionic emission.
Ans:The liberation of electrons from the surface of any conducting materials usually a metal is called
“electron emission”.
Types of electron emission:

Thermionic emission High field emission Secondary Photoelectric emission

emission
Defination The electron emission The electron emission The emission of The electron emission
from a metal from a metal electrons from a from a metal
surface ,which occurs surface ,which occurs surface that is surface ,which occurs by
by supplying the by supplying strong bombarded by supplying light energy
thermal energy to the electric field to the particles (such as to the metal is called as
metal is called as metal is called as electrons or ions) “Photo electric
“thermionic emission.” “High Field from a primary emission”.
emission”. source is known as
“secondary
emission”.
Material Tungsten and thoriated Silicon,Carbon Lead oxide, Sodium ,potassium ,Galli
used tungsten nanotubes magnesium oxide, um Arsenide
beryllium oxide
Diagram

Application 1)Vacuum tubes 1)Microwave 1)Photomultiplier 1)Photo cell

2)Camera tube generation. tube 2)photoconductive
3)Cathode ray tube 2)X-ray generation 2)Cathode tube devices
3)solar cells
2)
a)Explain thermoelectric effect and give its any two Materials.
b) Explain Thomson effect and give its applications.
c)Explain see back effect and give its applications.
Ans:The thermoelectric effect is the direct conversion of heat energy in to electric energy and vice versa .The
e.m.f produced in this process is known as thermo emf and the current produced is known as thermocurrent.
 When two similar or dissimilar metals are kept at temperature difference fused together to form two different
junction it is known as thermocouple.T he common thermocouple used are…
1)iron-contenstan
2)Steel-contenstan
3)Chomel-contenstan
Three types of thermoelectric effects are their-

Thomson effect Seeback effect Petlier effect

Defination If a piece of single metal have
temperature difference between
it’s two ends then an e.m.f is
observed between two ends this is
known as Thomson effect.
Diagram
When two dissimilar metals are
fused together to form two
junctions are kept at different by
temperatures then heat is
liberated this effect is known as
“Seeback effect”.
When a current is passed
through two different
metals then heat is
liberated this effect is
known as “Peltier effect”

Application 1)Refrigerators 1)Thermoelectric generators. 1) DC Refrigerators

2)For production of liquid gas 2)To identify metal alloys 2)Air conditioning in
submarines
1) 3)
a)Define resistivity and state its SI unit
b)Write down factors affecting electrical resistance of a material.
Ans: Resistivity is defined as the resistance of the material which is of unit length and of unit cross
sectional area.
Unit:Ωm .

1) Factors affecting resistivity of materials:

2) 1) Alloying: A solid solution of two or metal is a alloy. Electrical resistance is directly proportional to the
alloying. As alloying increases resistivity also increases. Electrical resistance decreases with decrease in
alloying.
2) Temperature: Electrical resistance is directly proportional to the temperature. Electrical resistance
increases with increase in temperature and decreases with decrease in temperature.

3)Cold work: Electrical resistance is directly proportional to the cold work. Electrical resistance increases
with increase in cold work cold work .Hard drawn copper has higher resistivity.

4)Age hardening: Electrical resistance is directly proportional to the Age hardening. Age hardening
increases resistivity of an alloy.
4)Describe the effect of temperature on superconductivity of metals
Ans: Superconductivity is a phenomenon of exactly zero electrical resistance and expulsion of magnetic flux
field occurring in certain materials, called superconductors when cooled below a characteristics critical
temperature. In a superconductor , the resistance drops abruptly to zero when the material is cooled below its
critical temperature. The superconductivity depends on following 2 factors : 1)Electron-proton interaction 2)
Critical Temperature.

5)Describe the factors affecting on Mobility .

Ans:We know that ,if an electric field is applied to a metal ,then due to the electrostatics force ,the free
electrons would be accelerated and the velocity would increase indefinitely .
If there would have been no collision with the ions ,however ,at each collision with the ions the electron loses.
A steady state condition is reached ,when a finite value of some energy (drift velocity) is obtained. The drift
velocity is in a direction opposite to that of the applied electric field.

It is defined as drift velocity acquired per unit strength of the electric field applied across the conductor.

V= µE
Where V=Drift Velocity
µ= Mobility
E= Electric Field.

6)
a) List electrical conducting materials
a)Define superconductivity.and give its applications.
b)Write a Short Note on “Superconductivity”.
Ans:
Conducting materials:
Steel,copper,aluminium,mercury

Superconductivity:
When materials are allowed to cooled down they looses their resistivity and becomes conductors these metals
are known as “superconductors “.
The name superconductivity was given by kammerlong ones who made experiment on mercury by reducing
its temperature .At 4.16 k resistance of mercury was zero. Mercury was first superconducting material. The
temperature at which resistance falls to zero is known as critical temperature.
The superconductivity can be destroyed or reduced by applying magnetic field. When strong magnetic field is
applied to superconductors their resistance increases and they become conductors.
Examples .Aluminium ,Zinc,Tin,Mercury.

Applications of superconductivity:
1) powerful superconducting electromagnets used in maglev trains, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) machines, magnetic confinement fusion reactors (e.g.
tokamaks), and the beam-steering and focusing magnets used in particle accelerator.
 2) Industrial magnets for materials magnetic separation.
3) Superconducting Sensors
4) Fast digital circuits
5) Low-loss power cables
6) Electric motors and generato
7) The resistivity of pure copper is 1.56 μ.Ω-cm. An alloy of copper containing 1atomic percent nickel
has a resistivity of 2.81 μ.Ω-cm. An alloy of copper containing 3 atomic percent silver has a resistivity
of 1.98 μ.Ω-cm . Calculate the resistivity of copper alloy containing 2 atomic percent nickel and 2
atomic percent silver.
Ans:

8)Explain the effect of temperature on the electrical conductivity of metal.

Ans:
Effect of temperature on the electrical conductivity of metal are as follows:
 •Temperature is directly proportional to resistivity and inversely proportional to conductivity of metals
Electrical conductivity of a metal decreases with the increase in temperature of metal, as the resistivity
increases.
The increase in the resistivity is due to hindrance in mean free path.
As the temperature increases vibrations are also increased, as the result greater amount of thermal energy is
converted to mechanical energy.
The mean free path for movement of free electron is blocked increasing the resistivity thus the electrical
conductivity decreases.