ELECTRODYNAMICS

Objectives
After learning this chapter, you are expected to be able to
 Explain and formulate electric current
 Explain factors influencing the resistance of a conductor
 Calculate the resistance of a conductor
 Explain and formulate Ohm’s law
 Analyze the direct current circuit quantitatively
 Explain and use the kirchhoff’s law to solve the electric circuit problems
 Explain the work principle of electric instruments and use them in problem solving
 Calculate the electric energy and power
 Distinguish the DC voltage and AC voltage
 Explain the electric installation in the homes
 Indicate the AC and DC electric application in everyday life

Electricity is one of the basic forms of energy concerning with electric charge, that is a property of certain
elementary particles such as electrons and protons. Electric charges can be stationary or moving. The
study of electricity concerning with the stationary charges is called electrostatics, while the study of
electrocity the moving charges is called electrodynamics. The subjects covered in this chapter are as
follows:
1. Electric Current
2. Ohm’s law and Electric Resistance
3. Electric Circuit of Direct Current
4. Measurement of Electric Quantities
5. Electric Energy and Electric Power
6. AC and DC Voltage

A. Electric Current
The quantity that expresses electric current is called electric current strength (usually just called electrict
current).
In this case, the electric current strength is defined as the amount of electric
flowing through the section of a conductor per unit of time.
The electric current strength flowing through a section of conductor can be
determined by the the equation as follow
Where :
dQ I = electric current strength (A)
I Q = the amount of electric charges flowing ( C)
dt t = time (s)

electric current strength is a scalar quantity , but in physics there is a quantity of current density (J) which
is a vector quantity . Current density is defined as electric current power per unit area of conductor
section. It can be expressed mathematically using the equation as follow
I where :
J J = current density (A/m2)
A
A = area of conductor section (m2)

For electric current flowing through the section of wire, then the electric current strength can also be
determined by using the equation as follow :

I = v . e . n. A

Where :
v = speed of electron (m/s)
e = electron charges (1.6 x 10-19 C)
n = amount of electron per unit of volume

Sample problem
1. A certain conductivity is passed through 4.8 x 10-4 C electric charges in 2.0 s. Determine :
a. electric current strength
b. amount of electron passing through the conductor
c. current density if area of conductor section is 2.4 x 10-6
solution
a. electric current strength

Q 4.8 x 10 -4
I   2.4 x10 4 A
t 2
Thus, the electric current strength is 2.4 x 10-4 A
b. amount of electron passing through the conductor
the amount of electron
Q=n.e
Q 4.8 x10 4
n   3.0 x1015
e 1.6 x10 19
Thus, amount of electron passing through the conductor is 3.0 x 10 15 electrons

c. current density if area of conductor section is 2.4 x 10-6

I 2.4 x10 4
J  6
 10 2 A / m 2
A 2.4 x10
Thus, the current density is 102 A/m2

Exercise 1
1. A 0.5 A electric current passes through a wire (conductor) which has section area 4 mm2. Calculate :
a. current density
b. electric changes flowing in 30 minutes
c. the amount of electron passing through the wire in 30 minutes

2. A constant current of 2.0 A flows in a uniform wire. Determine the quantity of charge and the number
of electrons that have moved pass a cross section in 30 seconds

B. Ohm’s Law and Electric Resistance

In 1827 a German Physicist ,Georg Simon Ohm had found the relation
between electric current (I) flowing through a certain circuit with voltage
that is set in the circuit (V). The relation between V and I was obtained by
Ohm through an experiment and empirically Ohm expressed the relation
between V and I as follow

V=IR

Where
V = voltage (volt)
I = electric current (A)
R = electric resistance (ohm)

Basically the resistance value of a certain conductor substance depands on the length, section area and
resistivity of the substance. Mathematically the resistance of a certain conductor substance can be
determined by the equation as follow
 l
R
A

Where
R = resistance of substance (ohm)
 = resistivity (Ω m)
L = length of substance (m)
A = section area of substance (m2)

In physics the resistivity is often related with conductivity, where

1



Where
 = conductivity of substance (Ωm) -1
 = resistivity of substance (Ωm)

Over a limited temperature range, the resistivity of a conductor varies approximately

linearly with temperature according to the expression

   0 (1  T )

Where
 = resistivity of final temperature (Ωm)
0 = resistivity of initial temperature (Ωm)
 = temperature of coefficient of resistivity (0C-1)
∆T = change of temperature

The temperature coef coeffi ficients of resistivity for various materials are given in table . Note that the
unit for  is degrees Celsius -1 . Because resistance is proportional to resistivity , we can write the
variation of resistance as

R  R0 (1  T )

Sample problem
1. if a current of 1.5 A flows in a constantan wire of length 1.0 m and cross sectional area 0.50 mm2,
determine the voltage across the two ends of the wire, (resistivity of constantan = 4.9 x 10 -7 Ωm)
Solution

l
R
A

(4.9 x10 7 )(1.0)

R=  0.98
0.50 x10 6
V=IR
= (1.5) (0.98)
= 1.47 V

Exercise
1. A string of conductor wire has the length 50 m, diameter 2.5 mm and resistivity of 1.72 x 10 -8 Ωm.
Determine :
a. resistance of wire (   3.14 )
b. electric current flowing through the wire if it is connected with 3 volts voltage and the resistance of
wire is constant
c. resistance of wire from the same substance and leght , but the diameter twice from the beginning
(   3.14 )
d. resistance of wire from the same substance and weight but the area is ½ times from the beginning
2. determine the voltage across a 10 ohm resistor if 1200 C of charge flows pass a cross section of the
resistor per minute
3. A resistance thermometer thermometer, which measures temperature by, measuring the change in
resistance of a conductor conductor, is made , from platinum and has a resistance of 50.0 ohm at 20.0
°C. When immersed in a vessel containing melting indium, its resistance increases to 76.8 ohm.
Calculate the melting point of the indium.

C. Electric Circuit of Direct Current

Kirchoff’s I Law
Kirchhoff’s law can be expressed mathematically by the equation as follow

I in   I out

I1 = I2 + I3

Sample problem
1. study the following figure
If I1 = 5 A, I2 = 4 A and I3 = 2 A, then calculate I4

I1 I4

I2 I3

Solution
I in   I out
I1 + I2 = I3 + I4
5A+4A = 2 A + I4
I4 =7A
Thus, I4 =7A

Series and parallel Circuit of Resistor

a. Series Circuit of Resistor
for a series combination of two resistors, the currents are the same in both resistors because the
amount of charge that passes through R1 must also pass through R2 in the same time interval.
based on the figure , therefore

V = V1 + V2

I = I1 = I2

From the explanation above, then the series circuit is the voltage divider circuit and can be used to
increase the resistance of the circuit. For n resistor which are connected by series, then the total resistance
can be determined by the equation as follow

Rs = R1 + R2 + ……..Rn

b. Parallel Circuit of Resistor

when resistors are connected in parallel, the potential differences across the resistors is the same.
based on the figure, therefore

I = I1 + I2

V = V 1 = V2

From the explanation above, then the parallel circuit is the current divider circuit and can be used to
reduce the resistance of the circuit. For n resistor which are connected by parallel, then the total resistance
can be determined by the equation as follow

1 1 1 1
   .........
R p R1 R2 Rn

Sample problem
1. Find the equivalent resistance between points a and c.

Solution
 Rs = R1 + R2
= 8.0 + 4.0
= 12.0 ohm
1 1 1 1 1 1
   
R p R3 R4 6.0 3.0 2.0
Rp = 2.0 ohm

Rs = 12.0 + 2.0
= 14.0 ohm

Exercise
1. a. Find the current in each resistor resistor.
b. Calculate the power delivered to each resistor and the total power delivered to the combination of
resistors.
c. Calculate the equivalent resistance of the circuit.

2. find the equivalent resistance between point a and b for the combination shown in figure below

Electromotive Force and Clamping Potensial

Electromotive Force is defined as the energy used to transfer the positive charges from low potesial point
to higher potensial point per unit of charge transferred

dW

dq

Where
 = Electromotive Force (volt)

The potensial difference between a and b is called clamping potensial which

can be determined by the following equation

Vab =  - I r
IR =  -Ir

I =
Rr

Where
Vab = Clamping potensial (volt)
 = Electromotive Force (volt)
I = electric current (A)
r = internal resistance (ohm)
R = external resistance (ohm)

Sample problem
1. A battery has an emf of 12.0 V and an internal resistance of 0.05 ohm. Its terminals are connected to a load resistance of 3.00
ohm.

Solution

I =
Rr
12.0
I =  3.93 A
3.05

Vab =  - I r
Vab = 12.0 – 3.93 . 0.05
Vab = 11.8 V

Kirchoff’s II Law
If kirchhoff’s I law relates with electric current in the branched electric current, then kirchhoff’s II law
relates with voltage and electromotive force in closed electric circuit.
Mathematically, kirchhoff’s II law can be expressed by the following equation

    IR  0

Sample problem
1. Metode Kuat arus cabang

Penyelesaian :
a) i1 = i2 + i3 ………………persamaan (1)
b) 4i1 + 9i3 – 6 = 0 ……….persamaan (2)
c) 5i2 – 9i3 = 0 ……………persamaan (3)
nilai i1,i2,i3, dicari dengan eleminasi persamaan 1,2,3
2. Metode kuat arus loop (termudah)

Penyelesaian :
a) (4+9)i1 – 9.i2 – 6 = 0 …………… (1)
b) (5+9)i2 – 9.i1 =0 …………… (2)
nilai i1 dan i2 dicari dengan eleminasi persamaan 1,2
Exercise
1. determine the current in each branch of the circuit below

2. determine I1 , I2 and I3 by using kirchhoff’s law

Wheatstone Bridge Circuit

Circuit diagram for a Wheatstone bridge, an instrument used to measure an unknown resistance Rx in
terms of known resistances R1 , R2 , and R3. When the bridge is balanced, no current is present in the
galvanometer. The arrow superimposed on the circuit symbol for resistor R1 indicates that the value of
this resistor can be varied by the person operating the bridge.

Because the electric potential at Bridge point a must equal the potential at point b when the bridge is
balanced, the potential difference across R1 must equal the potential difference across R2 . Likewise, the
potential difference across R3 must equal the potential difference across Rx . From these considerations
we see that

I1 R1 = I2 R2 …………(1)
I1 R3 = I2 Rx …………(2)
Dividing Equation (1) by Equation (2) eliminates the currents, and solving for Rx , we find that

R2 R3
Rx 
R1

Energy and Electric Power

Electric Energy
Electric current caused by the current of electric charges can produce the energy which is useful for
human. In this case, the energy produced freom the current of electric charges in a certain closed electric
circuit is called electric energy. Electric energy can be determined by the equation as follow

W =QV

Where
W = electric energy (joule)
Q = electric charges (C)
V = potensial difference or voltage (volt)

Because Q = I. t and V = I . R then

W =VI.t

W = I2 R t

V2
W = t
R

Electric Power
The amount of electric energy used by a certain electric device per unit of time is called electric power,
which can be determined by the equation as follow

W
P
t

Where
P = electric power (watt)

Based on the electric energy equation, then the electric power also can be determined by equation as
follow

P =VI

P = I2 R

V2
P =
R

The Relation of Energy and Power Units

In SI unit system , electric power is expressed in watt, while electric energy is expressed im joule, so that
from the relation of power and energy of electric is obtained the relation of electric power and energy
units as follow

1 J = 1 Ws

In the everyday life, electric energy is expressed in the unit of KWh (kilowatt hour), where

1 KWh = 3,6 x 106 joule

Sample problem
1. An electric heater has the resistance of 5 kΩ, passed current of 2 A in 2 hours. Calculate the electric
energy cost heater in one month (1 month = 30 days) and the cost is Rp. 100/KWh

Solution

W = I2 R t
W = 22 x 5000 x 2
W = 40 KWh
Because we want to find the cost in one month, then

The cost = 40 KWh x 30 x 100

= Rp. 120.000,00

The Equivalent of Heat with Electric Energy

W = Q
Pt = m. c . ∆T

Where
m = mass of substance (kg)
c = specific heat of substance (J/kg0C)
∆T = temperature change of substance (0C)
Q = heat (joule)

Household Wiring and Electrical Safety

Household circuits represent a practical application of some of the ideas presented in this chapter chapter.
In our world of electrical appliances, it is useful to understand the power requirements and limitations of
conventional electrical systems and the safety measures that prevent accidents.

Electrical Safety
When the live wire of an electrical outlet is connected directly to ground, the circuit is completed and a
short circuit condition exists. A shor short circuit t occurs when almost zero resistance exists between
two points at different potentials; this results in a very large current. When this happens accidentally
accidentally, a properly operating circuit breaker opens , the circuit and no damage is done. However, a
person in contact with ground can be , electrocuted by touching the live wire of a frayed cord or other
exposed conductor. An exceptionally effective (and dangerous!) ground contact is made when the person
either touches a water pipe (normally at ground potential) or stands on the ground with wet feet. The latter
situation represents effective ground contact because normal, nondistilled water is a conductor due to the
large number of ions associated with impurities. This situation should be avoided at all cost.
Electric shock can result in fatal burns, or it can cause the muscles of vital organs, such as the heart, to
malfunction. The degree of damage to the body depends on the magnitude of the current, the length of
time it acts, the part of the body touched by the live wire, and the part of the body in which the current
exists. Currents of 5 mA or less cause a sensation of shock but ordinarily do little or no damage. If the
current is larger than about 10 mA, the muscles contract and the person may be unable to release the live
wire. If a current of about 100 mA passes through the body for only a few seconds, the result can be fatal.
(a) A diagram of the circuit for an electric drill with only two connecting wires. The normal current path is
from the live wire through the motor connections and back to ground through the neutral wire. In the
situation shown, the live wire has come into contact with the drill case. As a result, the person holding
the drill acts as a current path to ground and receives an electric shock.
(b) This shock can be avoided by connecting the drill case to ground through a third ground wire. In this
situation, the drill case remains at ground potential and no current exists in the person.