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Current Electricity Notes

This chapter discusses electric current and its relationship to potential difference based on Ohm's law. It defines key concepts such as current, resistance, resistivity, drift velocity and current density. It also covers Ohm's law and how it applies to ohmic and non-ohmic conductors. Limitations of Ohm's law are discussed for materials where the relationship between voltage and current is non-linear or dependent on the polarity of voltage.

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Angelina Dany
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41 views

Current Electricity Notes

This chapter discusses electric current and its relationship to potential difference based on Ohm's law. It defines key concepts such as current, resistance, resistivity, drift velocity and current density. It also covers Ohm's law and how it applies to ohmic and non-ohmic conductors. Limitations of Ohm's law are discussed for materials where the relationship between voltage and current is non-linear or dependent on the polarity of voltage.

Uploaded by

Angelina Dany
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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CHAPTER 3

CURRENT ELECTRICITY

Electric current

Current is the rate of flow of electric charge.

I = dt /dq

[ or I = q/t ]

SI unit is ampere (A),

1A=1C/s

Electric current is a scalar quantity.

The direction of current is taken to be the direction of flow of positive charges.

Ohm’s law

Ohm’s law states that at constant temperature, the current flowing through a

conductor is directly proportional to the potential difference between the ends of the

conductor.

ie I V

V I

V = IR

where R = resistance of conductor.

Resistance (R)

Resistance of a conductor is the opposition offered by the conductor to the flow of

current.

The SI unit of resistance is ohm ( ꭥ )

Factors affecting resistance

R = ρ l/A

where the constant of proportionality ρ is the resistivity. It depends on the material

of the conductor but not on its dimensions.

Resistivity (Specific resistance)

𝝆= 𝑹𝑨/ 𝒍

Resistivity of the material of a conductor is the resistance of the conductor


having unit length and unit area of cross section.

Unit of resistivity = ohm metre

Ohmic conductors

They are the conductors which obey Ohm’s law. For these substances V-I graph is linear passing

through the origin. Eg: Metals when low currents pass through them.

Limitations of Ohm’s law

Certain materials do not obey Ohm’s law. They are called non Ohmic conductor. The deviation may

be

1. V stops to be proportional to I (as shown in fig 1)

Eg: Metallic conductors when high current passes through them.

2.The relation between V and I depend on the sign of V. If I is the current for a certain V, the

reversing the direction of V keeping its magnitude fixed, produces a different current. (fig 2)

Eg: pn junction diode.

3.The relation between V and I is not unique ie. there is more than one value of V for the same

current I(fig 3

Drift Velocity.

• Average velocity acquired by an electron in the presence of an electric field.

In a metallic conductor, there are many free electrons. These electrons


collide with +ve metal ions and change their directions. The velocity of electrons are

randomly distributed. If we consider all the electrons, their average velocity will be zero since their

directions are random.

Thus, if there are N electrons and the velocity of the i th electron (i = 1 2, 3, ... N ) at

a given time is ui ,

then

∑ u i / N =0

When the conductor is connected to a battery, an electric field is set up along the

length of conductor from +ve to –ve terminal.

Due to this field, Electrons will be accelerated by

a = – Ee/ m

(a=F/m ;

F=Eq)

where –e is the charge and m is the mass of an electron.

During a short time interval between collisions with ions, each electron accelerates and gains an extra
velocity. But this extra velocity is lost during each collision. The net result is that, the electrons acquire a
small speed called drift speed opposite to field direction
Note:

τ is relaxation time is the average time interval between two successive collisions.
Or m2/Vs . Mobility is positive.
Current density (J)

• Current flowing through a unit area held normal to the direction of current.

• If the area is normal to the current flow,

J =I /A

• Unit – A/m2

• Current density is a vector quantity.


emf (electromotive force) and terminal pd

Emf is the potential difference between the terminals of a cell when no current is drawn from it

, i.e. when the circuit is open. Potential difference is the voltage across the terminals of the cell
when the current is being drawn from it.

Emf ϵ =V+Ir
Internal resistance(r)

The resistance offered by the electrolyte of the cell to the flow of current through it.
length l, S - resistance of wire of length (100-l).

• The length l for which galvanometer shows zero deflection – balancing length.

the unknown resistance is given by

X=R(100-l) /l

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