UNIT II

Current Electricity
1. The plot of the variation of potential difference across a combination of
three identical cells in series, versus current is as shown in the figure. What

is the emf of each cell? (Delhi 2008)

2. A wire of resistance 8R is bent in the form of a circle. What is the effective
resistance across the diameter? (Delhi 2008)

3. Two conducting wires X and Y of same diameter across a battery. If the

number density of electro in X is twice that in Y, find the ratio of drift
velocity of electrons in the two wires. (All India 2008)
4. A resistance R is connected across a cell of emf ε and internal resestance r.
A potentiometer now measures the potential difference between the
terminals of the cell as V. write the expression for ‘r’ in terms of ε, V and R.
(Delhi 2011)
5. When electrons drift in a metal from lower to higher potential, does it
mean that all the free electrons of the metal are moving in the same
direction? (Delhi 2012)
6. Show on a graph the variation of resistivity with temperature for a typical
semiconductor. (Delhi 2012)
7. Two wires of equal length, one of copper and the other of manganin have
the same resistance. Which wire is thicker? (All India 2012)
8. A 10 v battery of negligible internal resistance is connected across a 200 V
battery and a resistance of 38Ω as shown in the figure. Find the value of the
current in circuit. (Delhi 2013)

Upasna Chandra
9. A 5 V battery of negligible internal resistance is connected across a 200 V
battery and a resistance of 39 Ω as shown in the figure. Find the value of
the current (Delhi 2013)

10. The emf of a cell is always greater than its terminal voltage. Why? Give
reason. (Delhi 2013)
11. A cell of emf ‘E’ and internal resistance ‘r’ draws a current ‘I’. Write the
relation between terminal voltage ‘V’ in terms of E, I and r. (Delhi 2013)
12. Two identical cells, each of emf E, having negligible internal resistance, are
connected in parallel with each other across an external resistance R. What
is the current through this resistance?
13. Why is the terminal voltage of a cell less than its emf? (Comptt. All India
2013)
14. Define the term ‘Mobility’ of charge carriers in a conductor. Write its S.I.
unit. (Delhi 2014)
15. Show variation of resistivity of copper as a function of temperature in a
graph. (Delhi 2014)
16. Define the term ‘electrical conductivity’ of a metallic wire. Write its S.I. unit.
(Delhi 2014)
17. Define the term ‘drift velocity’ of charge carriers in a conductor and write
its relationship with the current flowing through it. (Delhi 2014)
18. How does the random motion of free electrons in a conductor get affected
when a potential difference is applied across its ends? (Comptt. Delhi 2014)
19. State the underlying principle of a potentiometer. (Comptt. Delhi 2014)
20. Write the expression for the drift velocity of charge carriers in a conductor
of length T across which a potential difference ‘V’ is applied. (Comptt. All
India 2014)
21. How does one explain increase in resistivity of a metal with increase of
temperature? (Comptt. All India 2014)

Upasna Chandra
22. I-V graph for a metallic wire at two different temperatures, T1 and T2 is as
shown in the figure. Which of the two temperatures is lower and why? (All
India 2015)
23. The plot of the variation of potential difference A across a combination of
three identical cells in series, versus current is shown along the question.
What is the emf and internal resistance of each cell? (All India 2016)

24. Nichrome and copper wires of same length and same radius are connected
in series. Current I is passed through them. Which wire gets heated up
more? Justify your answer. (Outside Delhi 2017)
25. Define the conductivity of a conductor. Write its SI unit. (Comptt. Outside
Delhi 2017)
26. Two metallic wires of the same material have the same length but cross-
sectional area is in the ratio 1 : 2. They are connected
(i) in series and
(ii) in parallel. Compare the drift velocities of electrons in the two wires in
both the cases (i) and (ii). (All India 2008)
27. Derive an expression for the resistivity of a good conductor, in terms of the
relaxation time of electrons. (All India 2008)
28. Using the mathematical expression for the conductivity of a material,
explain how it varies with temperature for
(i) semiconductors,
(ii) good conductors. (All India 2008)
29. A cell of emf ‘E’ and internal resistance V is connected across a variable
resistor ‘R’. Plot a graph showing the variation of terminal potential ‘V’ with
resistance R.
Predict from the graph the condition under which ‘V’ becomes equal to ‘E’.
(Delhi 2009)
30. Derive an expression for drift velocity of free electrons in a conductor in
terms of relaxation time. (Delhi 2009)

Upasna Chandra
31. Calculate the current drawn from the battery in the given network. (All Indi

32. A wire of 15 Ω resistance is gradually stretched to double its original length.

It is then cut into two equal parts. These parts are then connected in
parallel across a 3.0 volt battery. Find the current drawn from the battery.
(All India 2009)
33. A wire of 20 Ω resistance is gradually stretched to double its original length.
It is then cut into two equal parts. These parts are then connected in
parallel across a 4.0 volt battery. Find the current drawn from the battery.
(All India 2009)
34. In the given circuit, assuming point A to be at zero potential, use Kirchhoff’s
rules to determine the potential A at point B. (All India 2011)

35. In the meter bridge experiment, balance point was observed at J with AJ = l.

(i) The values of R and X were doubled and then interchanged. What would
be the new position of balance point?
(ii) If the galvanometer and battery are interchanged at the balance
position, how will the balance point get affected? (All India 2011)
36. A cell of emf E and internal resistance r is connected to two external
resistances R1 and R2 and a perfect ammeter. The current in the circuit is
measured in four different situations:
(i) without any external resistance in the circuit
(ii) with resistance R2 only
(iii) with R1 and R2 in series combination
(iv) with R1 and R2 in parallel combination
Upasna Chandra
 The currents measured in the four cases are 0.42A, 1.05A, 1.4A and 4.2A,
but not necessarily in that order. Identify the currents corresponding to the
four cases mentioned above.
37. A battery of emf 10 V and internal resistance 3Ω is connected to a resistor.
If the current in the circuit is 0.5 A, find
(i) the resistance of the resistor;
(ii) the terminal voltage of the battery. (Comptt. Delhi 2012)
38. A battery of emf 6 V and internal resistance 2Ω is connected to a resistor. If
the current in the circuit is 0.25 A, find
(i) the resistance of the resistors;
(ii) the terminal voltage of the battery. (Comptt. Delhi)
39. The network PQRS, shown in the circuit diagram, has the batteries of 4 V
and 5 V and negligible internal resistance. A milliammeter of 20 Ω
resistance is connected between P and R. Calculate the reading in the
milliammeter. (Comptt. All India 2012)

40. The network PQRS, shown m the circuit diagram, has the batteries of 5 V
and 10 V and negligible internal resistance. A milliammeter of 50Ω
resistance is connected between P and R. Calculate the reading in the
milliammeter. (Comptt. All India 2012)

41. Explain the term ‘drift velocity’ of electrons in a conductor. Hence obtain
the expression for the current through a conductor in terms of ‘drift
velocity’
42. Write the expression for the current in a conductor of cross-sectional area A
in terms of drift velocity. (Comptt. All India 2013)
43. Describe briefly, with the help of a circuit diagram, how a potentiometer is
used to determine the internal resistance of a cell.

Upasna Chandra
44. Write a relation between current and drift velocity of electrons in a
conductor. Use this relation to explain how the resistance of a conductor
changes with the rise in temperature. (Comptt. Delhi 2013)
45. Use Kirchhoff’s rules to determine the value of the current I1 flowing in the
circuit shown in the figure. (Comptt. Delhi 2013)

46. Draw a graph showing variation of resistivity with temperature for

nichrome. Which property of nichrome is used to make standard resistance
coils? (Comptt. All India 2013)
47. A battery of emf E and internal resistance r when connected across an
external resistance of 12 Ω, produces a current of 0.5 A. When connected
across a resistance of 25 Ω, it produces a current of 0.25 A. Determine
(i) the emf and
(ii) the internal resistance of the cell. (Comptt. All India 2013)
48. Define mobility of a charge carrier. Write the relation expressing mobility in
terms of relaxation time. Give its SI unit. (Comptt. All India 2013)
49. A uniform wire of resistance 12 Ω is cut into three pieces so that the ratio of
the resistances R1 : R2 : R3 = 1 : 2 : 3 and the three pieces are connected to
form a triangle across which a cell of emf 8V and internal resistance

1 Ω is connected as shown. Calculate the current through each part of the

circuit. (Comptt. All India 2013)
50. A cell of emf ‘E’ and internal resistance V is connected across a variable
resistor ‘R’. Plot a graph showing variation of terminal voltage ‘V’ of the cell
versus the current ‘I’. Using the plot, show how the emf of the cell and its
internal resistance can be determined. (All India 2014)
51. Estimate the average drift speed of conduction electrons in a copper wire of
cross-sectional area 1.0 × 10 -7 m2 carrying a current of 1.5 A. Assume the
density of conduction electrons to be 9 × 1028 m-3. (All India 2014)

Upasna Chandra
52. Estimate the average drift speed of conduction electrons in a copper wire of
cross-sectional area 2.5 × 10-7 m2 carrying a current of 1.8 A. Assume the
density of conduction electrons to be 9 × 1028 m-3. (All India 2014)
53. Estimate the average drift speed of conduction electrons in a copper wire of
cross-sectional area 2.5 × 10-7 m2 carrying a current of 2.7 A. Assume the
density of conduction electrons to be 9 × 1028 m-3. (All India 2014)
54. Draw a plot showing the variation of resistivity of a
(i) conductor and
(ii) semiconductor, with the increase in temperature.
How does one explain this behaviour in terms of number density of charge
carriers and the relaxation time? (Comptt. Delhi 2014)
55. Distinguish between emf (ε) and terminal voltage (V) of a cell having
internal resistance r. Draw a plot showing the variation of terminal voltage
(V) vs the current (I) drawn from the cell. Using this plot, how does one
determine the internal resistance of the cell? (Comptt All India 2014)
56. Use Kirchhoff’s rules to obtain conditions for the balance condition in a
Wheatstone bridge. (Delhi 2015)
57. Use Kirchhoff’s rules to determine the potential difference between the
points A and D when no current flows in the arm BE of the electric network
shown in the figure.

58. Calculate the current drawn from the battery by the network of resistors
shown in the figure. (Comptt. All India 2015)

59. Using the concept of drift velocity of charge carriers in a conductor, deduce
the relationship between current density and resistivity of the conductor.
(Comptt. Delhi 2015)
60. Two cells of emfs 1.5 V and 2.0 V having internal resistance 0.2 Ω and 0.3 Ω
respectively are connected in parallel. Calculate the emf and internal
resistance of the equivalent cell.(Delhi 2016)

Upasna Chandra
61. A battery of emf 12V and internal resistance 2 Ω is connected to a 4 Ω
resistor as shown in the figure.
(a) Show that a voltmeter when placed across the cell and across the
resistor, in turn, gives the
(b) To record the voltage and the current in the circuit, why is voltmeter
placed in parallel and ammeter in series in the circuit? (All India)

62. The figure shows a plot of terminal voltage ‘V’ versus the current ‘i’ of a
given cell. Calculate from the graph
(a) emf of the cell and
(b) internal resistance of the cell. (Comptt. Outside Delhi 2017)

63. A cell of emf 4 V and internal resistance 1 Ω is connected to a d.c. source of

10 V through a resistor of 5 Ω. Calculate the terminal voltage across the cell
during charging.
64. Prove that the current density of a metallic conductor is directly
proportional to the drift speed of electrons. (Delhi 2008)
Or
Derive an expression for the current density of a conductor in terms of the
drift speed of electrons. (All India 2008)
65. A number of identical cells n, each of emf e, internal resistance r connected
in series are charged by a d.c. source of emf elr using a resistor R.
(i) Draw the circuit arrangement.
(ii) Deduce the expressions for
(a) the charging current and
(b) the potential difference across the combination of the cells. (Delhi 2008)

Upasna Chandra
66. Define resistivity of a conductor. Plot a graph showing the variation of
resistivity with temperature for a metallic conductor. How does one explain
such a behaviour, using the mathematical expression of the resistivity of a
material. (Delhi 2008)
67. The figure shows experimental set up of a meter bridge. When the two
unknown resistances X and Y are inserted, the null point D is obtained 40
cm from the end A. When a resistance of 10 Ω is connected in series with X,
the null point shifts by 10 cm.

Find the position of the null point when the 10 Ω resistance is instead
connected in series with resistance ‘Y’. Determine the values of the
resistances X and Y. (Delhi 2008)
68. (i) State the principle of working of a meter bridge.
(ii) In a meter bridge balance point is found at a distance l 1 with resistances
R and S as shown in the figure.
When an unknown resistance X is connected in parallel with the resistance
S, the balance point shifts to a distance l2. Find the expression for X in terms
of l1 l2 and S. (All India 2009)

69. In a meter bridge, the null point is found at a distance of 40 cm from A. If a

resistance of 12 Ω is connected in parallel with S, the null point occurs at
50.0 cm from A. Determine the values of R and S ?
70. In a meter bridge, the null point is found at a distance of 60.0 cm from A.

Upasna Chandra
 If now a resistance of 5 Q is connected in series with S, the null point occurs
at 50 cm. Determine the values of R and S. (Delhi 2010)
71. In a meter bridge, the null point is found at a distance of l1 cm from A. If
now a resistance of X is connected in parallel with S, the null point occurs at
l2. Obtain a formula for X in terms of l1 l2 and S. (Delhi 2010)

72. Write any two factors on which internal resistance of a cell depends. The
reading on a high resistance voltmeter, when a cell is connected across it, is
2.2 V. When the terminals of the cell are also connected to a resistance of 5
Ω as shown in the circuit, the voltmeter reading drops to 1.8 V. Find the
internal resistance of the cell. (All India 2010)

73. Write any two factors on which internal resistance of a cell depends. The
reading on a high resistance voltmeter, when a cell is connected across it, is
2.0 V.

When the terminals of the cell are also connected to a resistance of 3Ω as

shown in the circuit, the voltmeter reading drops to 1.5 V. Find the internal
resistance of the cell. (All India 2010)

Upasna Chandra
74. State Kirchhoff’s rules. Use these rules to write the expressions for the
current I1 I2 and I3 in the circuit diagram shown. (All India 2010)

75. State Kirchhoff’s rules. Apply Kirchhoff’s rales to the loops ACBPA and
ACBQA to write the expressions for the currents I 1, I2 and I3 in the network.
(All India 2010)

76. Define the terms

(i) drift velocity,
(ii) relaxation time.
A conductor of length L is connected to a dc source of emf e. If this
conductor is replaced by another conductor of same material and same
area of cross-section but of length 3L, how will the drift velocity change?
(Delhi 2010)
77. In the circuit shown, R1 = 4Ω, R2 = R3 = 15 Ω, R4 = 30Ω and E = 10V. Calculate
the equivalent resistance of the circuit and the current in each resistor.

(Delhi 2010)
78. In the circuit shown, R1 = 4Ω, R2 = R3 = 5Ω, R4 = 10Ω and E = 6V. Work out
the equivalent resistance of the circuit and the current in each resistor.

Upasna Chandra
 (Delhi 2010)

79. Using Kirchoff’s rules determine the value of unknown resistance R into
circuit so that no current flows through 4ω resistance. Also find the
potential difference between A and D. (Delhi 2012)

80. Calculate the value of the resistance R in the circuit shown in the figure so
that the current in the circuit is 0.2 A. What would be the potential
difference between points B and E? (All India 2012)

81. Calculate the value of the resistance R in the circuit shown in the figure so
that the current is 0.2 A. What would be the potential difference between
points A and B?

82. Define relaxation time of the free electrons drifting in a conductor. How is it
related to the drift velocity of free electrons? Use this relation to deduce
the expression for the electrical resistivity of the material. (All India 2012)
Write the principle on which the working of a meter bridge is based. In an
experiment on meter bridge, a student obtains the balance point at the
point J such that AJ = 40 cm as shown in the figure. The values of ‘R’ and ‘X’
are both doubled and then interchanged. Find the new position of the

Upasna Chandra
 balance point. If the galvanometer and battery are also interchanged, how
will the position of balance point be affected? (Comptt. All India 2012)

83. Write the principle on which the working of a meter bridge is based. In an
experiment on meter bridge, a student obtains the balance point at the
point J such that AJ = 60 cm as shown in the figure. The values of ‘R’ and ‘X’
are both doubled and then interchanged. Find the new position of the
balance point. If the galvanometer and battery are also interchanged, how
will the position of balance point be affected? (Comptt. All India 2012)
84. Define the current sensitivity of galvanometer. Write its S.I. unit.

Figure shows two circuits each having a galvanometer and a battery of 3 V.

When the galvanometers in each arrangment do not show any deflection,
obtain the ratio R1/R2. (All India 2012)
85. Answer the following :
(a) Why are the connections between the resistors in a meter bridge made
of thick copper strips?
(b) Why is it generally preferred to obtain the balance point in the middle of
the meter bridge wire?
(c) Which material is used for the meter bridge wire and why? (All India
2012)
86. A cell of emf ‘E’ and internal resistance V is connected across a variable load
resistor R. Draw the plots of the terminal voltage V versus
(i) R and (ii) the current I.
It is found that when R = 4 Ω, the current is 1 A and when R is increased to 9
Ω, the current reduces to 0.5 A. Find the values of the emf E and internal
resistance r. (Delhi 2012)

Upasna Chandra
87. Find the relation between drift velocity and relaxation time of charge
carriers in a conductor. A conductor of length L is connected to a d,c. source
of emf ‘E’. If the length of the conductor is tripled by stretching it, keeping
‘E’ constant, explain how its drift velocity would be affected. (All India 2012)
88. In the two electric circuits shown in the figure, determine the reading of
ideal ammeter (A) and the ideal voltmeter (V). (Comptt. Delhi 2012)

89. In the circuit shown in the figure, find the current through each resistor.
(Comptt. Delhi 2012)

90. (a) Deduce the relation between current I flowing through a conductor and
drift velocity vd of the electrons.
(b) Figure shows a plot of current ‘I’ flowing through the cross-section 5 of a
wire versus the time ‘t’. Use the plot to find the charge flowing in 10s
through the wire. (Comptt. All India 2012)

91. With the help of the circuit diagram, explain the working principle of meter
bridge. How is it used to determine the unknown resistance of a given wire?
Write the necessary precautions to minimize the error in the result.
(Comptt. All India 2012)

Upasna Chandra
92. (i) Derive an expression for drift velocity of free electrons.
(ii) How does drift velocity of electrons in a metallic conductor vary with
increase in temperature? Explain. (All India)
93. (a) The potential difference applied across a given resistor is altered so that
the heat produced per second increases by a factor of 9. By what factor
does the applied potential difference change?
(b) In the figure shown, an ammeter A and a resistor of 40 are connected to
the terminals of the source. The emf of the source is 12 V having an internal
resistance of 2 O. Calculate the voltmeter and ammeter readings. (Outside
Delhi 2017)

94. (a) Write the principle of working of a metre bridge.

(b) In a metre bridge, the balance point is found at a distance l 1 with
resistances R and S as shown in the figure.
An unknown resistance X is now connected in parallel to the resistance S
and the balance point is found at a distance l2. Obtain a formula for X in
terms of l1, l2 and S. (Outside Delhi 2017)

An unknown resistance X is now connected in parallel to the resistance S

and the balance point is found at a distance l2. Obtain a formula for X in
terms of l1 l2 and S. (Outside Delhi) R
95. Derive the expression for the current density of a conductor in terms of the
conductivity and applied electric field. Explain, with reason how the
mobility of electrons in a conductor changes when the potential difference
applied is doubled, keeping the temperature of the conductor constant.
(Comptt. Delhi 2017)
96. Define the term current sensitivity of a galvanometer. In the circuits shown
in the figures, the galvanometer shows no deflection in each case. Find the

Upasna Chandra
 ratio of R1 and R2. (Comptt. All India 2017)

97. (a) Derive the relation between current density ‘J‘ and potential difference
‘V’ across a current carrying conductor of length area of cross-section ‘A’
and the number density of free electrons.
(b) Estimate the average drift speed of conduction electrons in a copper
wire of cross-sectional area 1.0 × 10-7 m2 carrying a current of 1.5 A.
[Assume that the number density of conduction electrons is 9 × 10 28 m-3]
(Comptt. Delhi 2012)

98. Use Kirchhoff’s rules to obtain the balance condition in a Wheatstone

bridge.

Calculate the value of R in the balance condition of the Wheatstone bridge,

if the carbon resistor connected across the arm CD has the colour sequence
red, red and orange, as is shown in the figure.
If now the resistances of the arms BC and CD are interchanged, to obtain
the balance condition, another carbon resistor is connected in place of R.
What would now be the sequence of colour bands of the carbon resistor?
(Comptt. Delhi 2012)
99. (a) State Kirchhoff’s rules for an electric network. Using Kirchhoff’s rules,
obtain the . balance condition in terms of the resistances
of four arms of Wheatstone bridge.

Upasna Chandra
 (b) In the meterbridge experimental set up, shown in the figure, the null
point ‘D’ is obtained at a distance of 40 cm from end A of the meterbridge
wire. If a resistance of 10 Ω is connected in series with R 1, null point is
obtained at AD = 60 cm. Calculate the values of R 1 and R2 (Delhi 2012)

100. (i) Define the term drift velocity.

(ii) On the basis of electron drift, derive an expression for resistivity of a
conductor in terms of number density of free electrons and relaxation time.
On what factors does resistivity of a conductor depend?
(iii) Why alloys like constantan and manganin are used for making standard
resistors? (Delhi 2017)
101. (a) Why do the ‘free electrons’, in a metal wire, ‘flowing by themselves’,
not cause any current flow in the wire?
Define ‘drift velocity’ and obtain an expression for the current flowing in a
wire, in terms of the ‘drift velocity’ of the free electrons.
(b) Use the above expression to show that the ‘resistivity’, of the material of
a wire, is’ inversely proportional to the ‘relaxation time’ for the ‘free
electrons’ in the metal. (Comptt. Outside Delhi 2016)

102. (i) Derive an expression for drift velocity of electrons in a conductor.

Hence deduce Ohm’s law.
(ii) A wire whose cross-sectional area is increasing linearly from its one end
to the other, is connected across a battery of V volts. Which of the following
quantities remain constant in the wire?
(a) drift speed
(b) current density
(c) electric current (d) electric field Justify your answer. (Delhi 2016)

103. (a) State the two Kirchhoff’s laws. Explain briefly how these rules are
justified.
(b) The current is drawn from a cell of emf E and internal resistance r
connected to the network of resistors each of resistance r as shown in the
figure. Obtain the expression for
(i) the current drawn from the cell and

Upasna Chandra
 (ii) the power consumed in the network. (Delhi 2016)

104. (a) Draw a circuit diagram of a meter bridge used to determine the
unknown resistance R of a given wire. Hence derive the expression for R in
terms of the known resistance S.
(b) What does the term ‘end error’ in a metre bridge circuit mean and how
is it corrected? How will the balancing point be affected, if the positions of
the battery and galvanometer are interchanged in a metre bridge
experiment? Give reason for your answer. (Comptt. Delhi 2016)

Upasna Chandra