Tut Qn SLS

A1, A2 videos in A ANDERSON SERANGOON JUNIOR COLLEGE The discussion for the
B3 videos in B following questions are
PHYSICS 9749 recorded and uploaded to
C4, C5, C6 videos in C
D7, D8 videos in D SLS:
E9, E10 videos in E A1, A2, B3, C6 and D7
Topic 14: Current of Electricity
Tutorial Questions

A Electric Current
A1 In a gas, conduction occurs as a result of negative particles flowing one way and positive
particles flowing in the opposite direction, as shown in Fig. 1.1.

copper copper
conductor conductor
+ −

gas at low pressure

Fig 1.1

The current through the conductors is 0.28 mA.

The number of negative particles passing through any point in the gas per unit time is
1.56×1015 s−1 and the charge on each negative particle is −1.60×10−19 C.

Calculate
(a) the negative charge flowing past any point in the gas per second,

(b) the positive charge flowing past any point in the gas per second,

(c) the number of positively charged particles passing any point in the gas per second, given
that the charge of each positive particle is 3.20 × 10−19 C.
[9.38 × 1013 s−1]

[N95/III/5 part (c)]

1
 ANDERSON SERANGOON JUNIOR COLLEGE
PHYSICS 9749

A2 (a) Fig. 2.1 shows part of a conductor of cross-sectional area S, where there are N moving
charged particles per unit volume.

2e vd 2e 2e
S
2e 2e 2e
Fig. 2.1

Each particle carries the charge of 2e, and is assumed to move with the same drift velocity
vd.

(i) Write an expression for the distance moved by each charged particle in a small time
interval t.

…..……………………………………………………………………………………………

(ii) Write an expression for the volume of the cylinder with length equal to the distance
found in (i).

…..……………………………………………………………………………………………

(iii) Write an expression for the total charge that flows out of the cylinder in (ii) during
the interval t.

…..……………………………………………………………………………………………

(iv) From the definition of current, deduce an expression for the current in the conductor.

…..……………………………………………………………………………………………

(b) A metal wire of area of cross-section 1.0 mm2 carries a current of 1.6 A and has 5.0 × 1028
conduction electrons per cubic metre.

Calculate
(i) the drift velocity of the free electrons in the wire,

2
 ANDERSON SERANGOON JUNIOR COLLEGE
PHYSICS 9749

(ii) the average time taken for a free electron to travel a distance of 0.50 m along this
wire.
[2.5 × 103 s]

[N85/III/4 modified]

(c) Explain how and why the drift velocity of the electrons in a given current-carrying metallic
conductor will change when the potential difference between its ends is increased.

………………………………………………………………………………………….…………..

……………………………………………………………………………………………..............

……………………………………………………………………………………………………...

……………………………………………………………………………………………………...
[N83/I/7 part]

Hint: Consider the electric potential energy U of the electrons as they flow, e.g.

higher lower
potential potential
U = qV i.e. lower U i.e. higher U
+ −
U → electric potential energy
q → charge
V → electric potential direction of
electron flow

B Potential Difference

B3 The potential difference between point P and point Q is 15 V and the current flowing through
is 0.025 A.
During a period of time t, the energy of the charge carriers changes by 6.0 J when moving
from P to Q.
Determine the value of time t.

3
 ANDERSON SERANGOON JUNIOR COLLEGE
PHYSICS 9749

C Resistance and Resistivity

C4 An electrical component C has an I-V characteristic as shown in Fig. 4.1.

Fig. 4.1
(a) Calculate the resistance of component C when a potential difference of 6.0 V is
applied across it.

(b) Deduce the minimum value of the resistance of component C over the range of
0 to 10 V. [3.0 ]

4
 ANDERSON SERANGOON JUNIOR COLLEGE
PHYSICS 9749

C5 Describe how the electrical resistance of metals and semiconductors varies with temperature
by drawing graphs of current I against potential difference V.
Suggest simple explanations to account for the observed variations.

5
 ANDERSON SERANGOON JUNIOR COLLEGE
PHYSICS 9749

C6 A thin film resistor in a solid-state circuit has a thickness 1.0 m and is made of nichrome of
resistivity 10−6  m.

Calculate the resistances available between opposite edges of a 1.0 mm2 area of film
(a) if it is square shaped as shown in Fig. 6.1,

I2
1.0 μm
1.0 mm2
I1

Fig. 6.1

(b) if it is rectangular, 20 times as long as it is wide as shown in Fig. 6.2.

I4
1.0 mm2 1.0 μm
I3

Fig. 6.2

[J76/I/5 modified]

6
 ANDERSON SERANGOON JUNIOR COLLEGE
PHYSICS 9749

D Power and Heating Effect

D7 (a) A kettle, rated 230 V and 3.00 kW is switched on for 5000 s.

Calculate, for the heating element of the kettle,

(i) the resistance of the element,

(ii) the energy supplied by the element during this time.

[N00/III/4 part (d)]

(b) A generator produces 100 kW of power at a potential difference of 10 kV. The power is
transmitted through cables of total resistance 5.0 .

Calculate the power dissipated in the cables.

[J81/II/17; J87/I/20; J93/I/14; J96/I/13 modified]

7
 ANDERSON SERANGOON JUNIOR COLLEGE
PHYSICS 9749

D8 (a) State the equation relating the resistance R of a wire to its area of cross-section A, its
length l and the resistivity  of the material of which it is made.

……………………………………………………………………………………………..............

(b) The overhead wire used to supply power to the engine of a train has area of cross-section
5.00 × 10–5 m2 and is made of copper of resistivity 1.72 × 10–8  m.

Calculate the resistance of one kilometre length of the wire.

(c) Figure 8.1 shows the arrangement for supplying power to an engine. A 25 kV supply is
used and the return current from the engine returns through the track. The resistance per
kilometre of the overhead wire is as calculated in (b) and the resistance of the track can
be neglected.

Fig. 8.1

(i) Consider first when the engine is close to the power supply and requires 6700 kW
of power.
Calculate the current which is needed.

(ii) When the engine is 30 km from the power supply, it is supplied with a current of
180 A.
Calculate

1. the resistance of the overhead wire between the power supply and the engine,

8
 ANDERSON SERANGOON JUNIOR COLLEGE
PHYSICS 9749

2. the potential difference across the engine,

3. the power supplied to the engine,

4. the fraction of the power supplied which is used by the engine. [0.93]

(d) Explain the following facts about the supply to the engine.

(i) A railway employee who touches the track through which there is a current of 180 A
does not get an electric shock.

………………………………………………………………………………………………..

………………………………………………………………………………………………..

………………………………………………………………………………………………..

………………………………………………………………………………………………..

(ii) For a constant power supplied to the railway system, a high voltage supply is
essential for a railway system such as this.

………………………………………………………………………………………………..

………………………………………………………………………………………………..

………………………………………………………………………………………………..

………………………………………………………………………………………………..

9
 ANDERSON SERANGOON JUNIOR COLLEGE
PHYSICS 9749

(iii) For a power supply of fixed e.m.f., a different current is needed when the train is
climbing a hill from that required when travelling at the same speed on the flat.

………………………………………………………………………………………………..

………………………………………………………………………………………………..

………………………………………………………………………………………………..

………………………………………………………………………………………………..

[N98/III/4]

E Sources of Electromotive Force

E9 A battery is connected in series with a 2.0  and a switch as shown in Fig. 9.1.

2.0 Ω

Fig. 9.1

A voltmeter connected across the battery reads 12 V when the switch is open but 8.0 V when
it is closed.
Determine the internal resistance of the battery.

[J82/II/17 modified]

10
 ANDERSON SERANGOON JUNIOR COLLEGE
PHYSICS 9749

E10 A battery has an e.m.f. of 12.0 V and internal resistance of 3.0 Ω.

A variable resistor of resistance R is connected in series with the battery as shown in Fig. 10.1.

12.0 V
3.0 Ω

Fig. 10.1

(a) The resistance R in the circuit of Fig. 10.1 is varied. The variation with R of the power P
dissipated in the variable resistor is shown in Fig. 10.2.

Fig. 10.2

(i) State the two values of R at which the power dissipated in the variable resistor is
9.0 W.

(ii) For each of the two values in (i), calculate the efficiency of transfer of power from
the supply to the variable resistor.
power output
efficiency = ( ) × 100%
power supplied

11
 ANDERSON SERANGOON JUNIOR COLLEGE
PHYSICS 9749

(b) A battery is to be designed to provide the power for a component that has a fixed
resistance.

The internal resistance r of the battery is to be chosen to provide maximum efficiency of

energy transfer to the component.

Use your answers in (a) to state and explain the choice of r compared with the
component’s fixed resistance.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

[N11/III/8 partial (modified)]

Related TYS Questions (to be submitted two weeks after completion of tutorial)

Main concepts Related TYS Questions (PYYQQ)

Electric Current 11227, 11627 31302
Potential Difference 11427 (Paper 3, Year 13, Question 2)
Resistance and Resistivity 11325, 11721
Power and Heating Effect 12022
Sources of Electromotive Force 11526, 12023

12
 ANDERSON SERANGOON JUNIOR COLLEGE
PHYSICS 9749

Additional Questions

1 Express the following units in terms of the based units: m, kg, s, and A.
(a) coulomb,
(b) volt, and
(c) ohm.

2 An electricity supply cable consists of a steel (S) core of cross-section 50 mm2 with six other
conductors of aluminium (A) of the same cross-sectional area arranged around it as shown.

A
S

Find the resistance of a 120 m length of the cable. [9.6 × 10−3 ]

resistivity: steel, 9.0 × 10−8  m; aluminium, 2.5 × 10−8  m.
[J82/I/6]

3 A steel wire of diameter d of 0.60 mm has its resistance reduced to a third of its value by
coating it with copper.

steel
diameter
d

→t 

Determine the thickness t of the copper. [2.7 × 10−5 m]

resistivity: copper, 1.80 × 10−8  m; steel, 1.98 × 10−7  m

4 (a) What do you understand by the term potential difference and electromotive force?

(b) The various electrical circuits in operation in a car may be considered to have a combined
resistance R. They are supplied by a battery of e.m.f.  and internal resistance r.

(i) If the efficiency  of the circuits may be defined as the ratio of the power delivered
to the circuits to the total power dissipated, show that  = R / (R + r).

(ii) Sketch labelled graphs on the same axis for R to show how  and the power output
vary with R. Mark the axis with the value of r.

(iii) Hence, or otherwise, determine  when there is maximum power output from the
battery.

(c) If the starter motor of the car is operated when the headlamps are switched on, they are
seen to dim. Explain this observation.

[N85/III/11 part]

13
 ANDERSON SERANGOON JUNIOR COLLEGE
PHYSICS 9749

5 A source of e.m.f. E and internal resistance r is connected to a load of resistance R. Determine

the following in terms of E, r and R,
(a) the current flow in the load,
(b) the power P dissipated in the load, and
(c) the value of R when P is at a maximum.

6 A variable resistor R is connected between the terminals of a battery of e.m.f E and internal
resistance r, as shown in Fig. 6.1.

Fig. 6.1
The resistance of resistor R is varied.

The potential difference across R is V and the power dissipated in R is P. The variation with V
of P is shown in Fig. 6.2.

Fig. 6.2

(a) For the maximum value of P, use Fig. 6.2 to

(i) calculate the current in the circuit,

(ii) show that the resistance of R is 3.6 .

(b) When R has resistance 2.03 , the current in the circuit is 1.60 A. Use these data and
your answers to (a) to determine the internal resistance r of the battery.
[N08/II/4]

14
 ANDERSON SERANGOON JUNIOR COLLEGE
PHYSICS 9749

7 Two copper wires X and Y of different diameters are joined in series end to end. A current of
3.6 A passes through both of them. The diameter of wire X is 0.96 mm and the diameter of
wire Y is 0.32 mm. Copper has 8.0 × 1028 free electrons per cubic metre of the wire.
(a) Calculate the average speed of electrons through wire X.
(b) Deduce the average speed of electrons in wire Y.

8 Fig. 8.1 below shows a rectangular block with dimensions x, 2x and 3x.
2x

3x

Fig. 8.1
Electrical contact to the block can be made between opposite pairs of faces (for example,
between the faces labeled P). The resistance between the faces labeled P, Q and R are Rp,
RQ and RR respectively.

Arrange Rp, RQ and RR in ascending order, showing your working clearly.

9 A hollow cylindrical conductor made of steel has an inner radius of 12.0 cm while its outer
radius is 12.5 cm.
Given that the resistivity of this conductor is, 9.0 × 10−8 Ω m, calculate
(a) the resistance per unit length of this conductor and
(b) the current flowing through a 15 m section of this conductor if a potential difference of
20 mV was applied across it.

10 Explain, in microscopic terms, why heat is produced in a current-carrying conductor.

11 An electrical heating element is to be made from nichrome ribbon with a rectangular cross-
section, 1.0 mm wide and 0.050 mm thick. The element is designed so that the power
dissipated will be 750 W when connected to a 240 V supply.

(a) Calculate the resistance of the wire required.

(b) Calculate the length of the ribbon required.
(resistivity of nichrome = 1.1  10−6  m)

12 (a) State the equation relating current I, charge Q and time t.

(b) There is a current of 6.0 A through a component for 200 s.

Calculate

(i) the charge which flows past a point in the component during this time,
(ii) the number of electrons which pass the point during this time.

15