TOPIC 1

ELECTRIC CURRENT AND CIRCUIT

Learning Objectives
 Students will learn about the charge flowing through a conductor in a
given time.
Learning Outcomes
 Students will be able to calculate current flowing through a conductor in
a given time.

Real Life Application

We all look for dessert once we are done with our lunch or dinner. Rather
than fussing over what to eat for dessert, what we simply do is, just bring out
the ice cream from refrigerator. Everyone loves a good scoop of their favorite
flavors. It’s simple to make and serve, making it the perfect treat for families.
Why do we keep ice-cream in refrigerator? For the obvious reason that it
provides cool airand prevents the ice-cream from melting.You know your
refrigerator is one of the largest household appliances, and you must have
observed that your mother keeps it’s always on! On an average, a refrigerator
uses 300 to 800 watts of electric current, or between 3 and 6 amp and about
120 volts.

The exact amount of power your refrigerator uses depends on how old it is
and its model, but for the sake of this analysis, let’s consider a side-by-side
fridge. The two parts of your combo fridge appliance use similar amounts of
electricity. However, freezers use more energy to produce cool air, and the
amount of space they take up is usually less.
This is how electric current plays an important role in everyday life. In this
topic, we will study more about electric current and circuit.
Electricity is a form of energy and can be readily transmitted over large

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distances with relatively small loss in energy. In this chapter we will discuss
about electric circuits, potential difference and flow of current in an electric
circuit. We will also discuss Ohm’s law and the heating effect of electric current
and its applications.
A continuous and closed path of an electric current is called an electric circuit.
Electric Current
Electric current is expressed by the amount of charge flowing through a
particular area in unit time. It is defined as the rate of flow of electric charges
i.e., the charge flowing per unit time.
Let Q denote the amount of charge flowing across a given point in the conductor
in time t, then the current flowing is given by,
Q
I=
t

Conventional Direction of Current flow

It is the direction in which the positive charges flow which is opposite to the
direction of flow of negative charges.

e e e

Ampere: One Ampere is defined as the current flowing when 1 Coulomb of

charge flows across a point in 1 second.
1 Coulomb
1 Ampere =
1 second
Small quantities of current are expressed in milliampere (1 mA = 10-3 A) or in
microampere (1 μA = 10-6 A).
Caution
 Students generally make mistake and do not convert milliAmpere to
Ampere while solving a numerical. They should always keep in mind that 1
mA = 10–3 A.
Coulomb: It is the SI unit of charge and is the charge carried by 6 × 1018
electrons, since the charge of 1 electron = 1.6 × 10–19 C.
Example 1. Calculate the number of electrons constituting one coulomb
of charge. (Evaluate)
[NCERT]

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 Total Breakdown
Marks (As per CBSE Marking Scheme)
Write formula. (½m)
2 Show stepwise calculations. (1m)
Conclude with final answer. (½m)

Ans. The charge on one electron, (e) = 1.6 X 10–19 C.

Also, Charge, q = ne,
where n is the number of electrons.
Therefore,
q 1
n= = = 6.25 × 1018 electrons
e 1.6 × 10−19

Ammeter: It is an instrument to measure electric current in a circuit and is

always connected in series in a circuit through which the current is to be
measured. The electric current flows in the circuit shown from the positive
terminal to the negative terminal of the cell through the bulb and the ammeter.

+
A
i –

+ – K

Figure above shows the schematic diagram of a typical electric circuit

comprising a cell, an electric bulb, an ammeter and a plug key. The electric
current flows in the circuit from the positive terminal of the cell to the negative
terminal of the cell through the bulb and ammeter.
Flow of charge inside a conductor: When a wire is connected to a battery, the
electrons which were drifting randomly in all directions, now become aligned
in a particular direction and current begins to flow across the wire. When a
steady current flows through a conductor, the electrons in it move with a
certain average drift velocity.
Caution
 Students should be careful while making an electric circuit. Arrows for
current has to be shown from positive to negative terminal as shown below:

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They should also keep in mind that the negative terminal is joined with

...
positive terminal and positive to negative and vice-versa.

Electricity 5
 OBJECTIVE Type Questions
[ 1 mark ]
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Theresistance of a resistor is reduced to half of its initial value. In
doing so, if other parameters of the circuit remain unchanged, the
heating effects in the resistor will become:
(a)two times (b)half
(c) one-fourth (d)four times
 [CBSE 2020]
Ans. (a) two times
Explanation: Resistance of a resistor R W
R
New resistance of a resistor W
2

All other parameters of the circuit remain unchanged

R R/2

By applying Joule’s law of heating

H = I2Rt
V
As per Ohm’s law V = IR Or I =
R

V V V2
\     H = × ×R×t Or ×t
R R R

Case I Case II
V2
V2 H’ = R × t
H= ×t 2
R
V2 × 2
= ×t
R

H’= H × 2
Hence, the heating effect in the resistor will become two times if all other
parameter of the circuit remain same.
2. Plastic insulation surrounds a wire having diameter d and length l
as shown above. A decrease in the resistance of the wire would be
produced by an increase in the:

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 Metal core
Plastic insulation

(a)length l of the wire

(b)diameter d of the wire
(c)temperature of the wire
(d)thickness of the plastic insulation
[CBSE SQP 2022]
Ans. (b) diameter d of the wire
[CBSE Marking Scheme SQP 2022]
Explanation: Resistance of a wire is directly proportional to the length of
the conductor and inversely proportional to the area of the cross-section.
l
That is, R ∝
A

From the formula, we can observe that the resistance is inversely

proportional to the cross-section area. So, a decrease in the resistance of
the wire would be produced by an increase in the diameter of the wire.

Assertion-Reason Questions
Assertion-Reason based questions. These consist of two statements-
Assertion (A) and Reason (R). Answer these questions selecting the
appropriate option given below:
(a)Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
(b)Both (A) and (R) are true but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).
(c) (A) is true but (R) is false.
(d)(A) is false but (R) is true.
3.Assertion (A):At high temperatures, metal wires have a greater
chance of short circuiting.
Reason (R):Both resistance and resistivity of a material vary with
tempe-rature. [CBSE 2020]
Ans. (b)Both (A) and (R) are true but (A) is not the correct explanation of (A).
Explanation: At high temperatures, the free electrons start moving at a
greater speed and more heat is evolved. The increased amount of heat
melts the insulation of wires and wires have greater chance of short
circuiting. Sometimes the short circuit may even melt the wire and it may
cause fire.

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 Both resistance and resistivity vary with temperature. When the
temperature is increased, the random motion of electrons increases. As
a result the number of collision increases between atoms and electrons.
Caution
 Students usually get confused between resistance and resistivity and
make mistakes while writing the answer. Resistance depends on the
temperature, length and cross-section area of a material while resistivity
depends only on temperature.

CASE BASED Questions (CBQs)

[ 4 & 5 marks ]
Read the following passages and answer the questions that follow:
4. Shivani had studied in her class that an electric bulb consists of a filament
made up of a metal having high melting point such as tungsten. Also, the
bulbs are filled with a chemically inert gas such as nitrogen or argon to
prolong the life of filament.

(A)A current of 2A is drawn by a filament of an electric bulb. What

will be the number of electrons passing through a cross section of
the filament in 32 seconds?
(B)Shivam wondered how can electricity produce heat. Explain.
(C) What is the meaning of the following statement? ‘A typical
rating on an electric bulb is 60W-220V.’
Ans. (A)Given that:
I = 2A, t = 32 sec.
Q ne
I= =
t t

where, n = number of electrons, e = charge of one electron = 1.6 × 10–19C,

I = current and t = time.
I×t 2 × 32
n= = = 4 × 1020
e 1.6 × 10−19

(B)We know all conductors have free electrons. When electric potential

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 is applied at the ends of the conductor, the free electrons start moving
randomly from the higher potential to lower potential, however the motion
of free electrons is not very smooth. They collide with the molecules or
atoms of the conductor and during these collisions, a part of energy of
moving electrons is transferred to the atoms of the conductor. The atoms
of the conductor start moving more vigorously and the temperature of
the conductor starts rising. As a result, heat is produced in the conductor.
(C)The statement means that the electric bulb will work with optimum
efficiency at a potential difference of 220V and will consume power of
60W.

VERY SHORT ANSWER Type Questions (VSA)

[ 1 mark ]
5. The diagram shows a thick copper wire A and a thin copper wire B.
A

Both wires have the same length.

State and explain the difference, if any, in the resistance of the wires.
[British Council 2022]
Ans. Thin copper wire B has more resistance than the thick copper wire A.
Both copper wires have the same length wire A is thicker so it has more
radius, more cross sectional area than wire B and has less resistance than
copper wire B
l
RA = ρ
AA

l
RB = ρ
AB

More the area/radius, less will be the resistance, so wire B offers more
resistance than wire A and there are various pathway for the electron
movement.

SHORT ANSWER Type-I Questions (SA-I)

[ 2 marks ]

6. (A) Ina given ammeter, a student saw that needle indicates 12th
division in ammeter while performing an experiment to verify

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 Ohm’s law. If ammeter has 10 divisions between 0 to 0·5 A, then
what is the ammeter reading corresponding to 12th division?
(B)How do you connect an ammeter and a voltmeter in an electric
circuit?
[CBSE 2019]
0.5
Ans. (A)Least count of ammeter = 10
= 0.05 A
Thus, value corresponding to 12 divisions
= 0.05 ×12 = 0.6 A
(B)An ammeter is connected in series and a voltmeter is connected
in parallel in an electric circuit.
[CBSE Marking Scheme 2019]

SHORT ANSWER Type-II Questions (SA-II)

[ 3 marks ]
7. 6Ω

2A A 5Ω 10 Ω R1
–
30V 6Ω
+

In the above circuit, if the current reading in the ammeter A is 2A,

what would be the value of R1? [CBSE Term-2 SQP 2022]
Ans. 
5 ohm, 10 ohm and R1 are in parallel
1 1 1 1
= + +
RP 5 10 R 1


1 ( 2 + 1) 1
= +
RP 10 R1

3 1
= +
10 R 1

1 3(R 1 + 10 )
Rp
=
10 R 1

10 R 1
Rp =
(3R 1 + 10 )

Now, 6 ohm, 6 ohm and Rp are in series

Thus,
Req =
12 + 10 R 1
...(1)
3R 1 + 10

V = I Req

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From the circuit
30
Req = = 15 A ...(2)
2

Equating (1) and (2)

12 + 10 R 1
= 15
(3R 1 + 10 )

10 R 1
=3
(3R 1 + 10 )

10 R1 = (9 R1 + 30)
Thus, R1 = 30 Ohm.
[CBSE Marking Scheme Term-2 SQP 2022]

LONG ANSWER Type Questions (LA)

[4 & 5 marks ]

8. In
the circuit given below, the resistors R1, R2 and R3 have the values
10 Ω, 20 Ω and 30 Ω respectively, which have been connected to a
battery of 12 V.
R1

R2

R3

+ –
V

+ – – +
A

Calculate:
(A)the current through each resistor,
(B)the total circuit resistance, and
(C)the total current in the circuit.
[CBSE 2019]

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 Ans. Given:
R1 = 10 Ω; R2 = 20 Ω; R3 = 30 Ω
According to Ohm’s law,
V = IRGiven V = 12 V
(A)Current through resistor R1:
I1 = RV = 12
10
= 1.2 A
1
Current through resistor R2:
I2 = RV = 12
20
= 0.6 A
2
Current through resistor R3:
I3 = RV = 12
30
= 0.4 A
2
(B)Total circuit resistance, R
1
R
= R1 + R1 + R1
1 2 3
1 1 1 1
R
= 10
+ 20
+ 30
1 11
R
= 60
60
R= 11
= 5.45 Ω
(C)The total current in the circuit is
I = I1 + I2 + I3
= 1.2 + 0.6 + 0.4 = 2.2 A
[CBSE Marking Scheme 2019]

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 TOPPER’S CORNER

LONG ANSWER Type Questions (LA)

[ 4 & 5 marks ]
9. In the experiment to study the dependence of current (I) on the
potential difference (V) across a resistor, a student obtained a graph
as shown.
(i)What does the graph depict about the dependence of current on
the potential difference?
(ii)Find the current that flows through the resistor when the potential
difference across it is 2·5 V.

0.4

0.3
I (A)

0.2

0.1

1 2 3 4
V (volts)

Ans.

[CBSE Topper
2019]

Electricity 13
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