PhysicsII/Chapter 27

Current and Resistance

Lecturer: Dr. Emine YILDIRIM

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 Vocabulary in Chapter 27
electric current= elektrik akimi

charge carrier = yuk tasiyicisi

flow= akmak

drift velocity= suruklenme hizi

resistance=direnc

resistor=direnc

current density= akim yogunlugu

conductivity=iletkenlik

resistivity=ozdirenc

Temperature= sicaklik

wire=tel

Power=guc

deliver=iletmek

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 Electric Current
●
In previous 4 chapters, we have
considered the situation in which
charges are stationary. E feeld was zero
inside a conductor in eelectrostatic
equielibrium.
●
Now: We consider charges in motion.
E feeld is ≠0 inside a conductor.
●
When the eelectrons are in motion, it means
that the conductors are not in eelectrostatic
equielibrium.
●
To get a current:
➔
Need charges in motion 3 / 25

➔
 Electric Current (Continue)
What is Current?
●
The current is the amount of charge flowing
across any cross sectional area per unit
time.
●
If an amount of charge ∆Q passes through a
surface in a time interval ∆t, then the
average current Iavg is given by:

ΔQ Coulomb
I avg = = = Ampere=A
Δ t second
In the limit Δt→0, the instantaneous current is:
dq
I=
dt Current is a scalar quantity.

●
The direction of current is the same
direction as flow of positive charge. It is
reverse for negative charge. 4 / 25
 Probelem 7: Suppose that the current through a conductor
decreases exponentially with time according to the expression
I (t )=I 0 e
(−t /T )
where I0 is the initial current (at t =0) and T is a
constant having dimensions of time. Consider a fixed observation
point within the conductor. (a) How much charge passes this point
between t =0 and t=T ? (b) How much charge passes this point
between t= 0and t =10T ?(c)How much charge passes this point
between t= 0 and t =infinity?
dq
I=
dt How to calculate exponential function “e” on your
Calculator?
∫ dq=∫ I dt - First press shift key ,then press In key on your calculator.
You see “e” sign on the screen.
tf e.g. e(-2)=0.135
(−t /T )
Q(t )=∫ I 0 e dt
ti

(1)

e(-1)=0.37
e(-10)=0.00005

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Probelem 9: The quantity of charge q (in coulombs)
passing through a surface of area 2 cm2 varies with time
according to the equation q=4 t 3 +5 t +6, where t is in
seconds. (a) What is the instantaneous current through the
surface at t=1 s? (b) What is the value of the current
density?

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 Microscopic Model of Current
●
We consider the current in a conductor of cross sectional area A.

The volume of the gray section is: V =A Δ x J

Cross-sectional
area length
the number of mobile charge carriers
n=
volume
n is also called the charge carrier density.

The number of carriers in the gray section =n A Δ x

I

Therefore, the total charge

ΔQ in the gray section is:
ΔQ=the number of carriers in gray section×charge per carrier=(nA Δ x)q
Δ x=v d Δ t
Speed of the charge carriers=drift speed Charge on each carrier

Therefore,ΔQ can be written as follows:

Δ Q=(nAv d Δ t)q

If we divide both side of above Eq. by Δ t , we

obtain average current in the conductor as follows:
ΔQ
I avg = =nq v d A 7 / 25

Δt
●
.

Knowns
I=300 A, A=0.21 cm2 , ΔX=0.85 m, n=8.49 X1028 m-3
Wanted: Δt

I =nq v d A v d =Δ x / Δ t
=nq A Δ x /Δ t
Δ t=nq A Δ x / I
(28) (−19) (−4)
Δ t=8.49×10 1.6×10 0.21×10 0.85/300=808 s

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 Resistance and Ohm’s Law
●
The current density J in the conductor is defined as:
I
J= =nqv d This expression can be applied only if J is uniform .
A
In vector form : ⃗J=n q v⃗d Units of J: A/m2
J
●
In some materials, the current density
depends on the electric field:

⃗J = σ E
⃗ (Ohm ' s law) (27.1)
Conductivity of the
conductor
●
If we apply potential difference Δ V across the wire :
Δ V =E l .
●
The magnitude of the current density can be expressed as follows:
ΔV
J= σ E= σ
l
●
With J =I / A, the potential difference can be written as:

l l I l
Δ V = σ J= σ = I=R I
A σA
ΔV l
● R= = resistance of the conductor
I σA
1V 9 / 25
●
The units of R is: ohm: Ω , 1Ω=
A
Resistance and Ohm’s Law (Continue)

a) The behavior of a material obeying Ohm’s law b) The

behavior of a material not obeying Ohm’s law
●
The resistivity of a conductor ρ is expressed as follows:
1 E V /m V
ρ= σ unit of ρ : = 2
= m=Ω . m
J A /m A

●
We can define resistance of a uniform conductor in terms of ρ
as follows:
l
R= ρ
A
10 / 25
Problem 17: Suppose that you wish to fabricate a uniform wire
out of 1 g of copper. If the wire is to have a resistance of R =0.5Ω,
and if all of the copper is to be used, what will be (a) the length
and (b) the diameter of this wire?
Solution:
M=mass

V=volume=Al

cross−sectional area of a cylindirical wire= A= π r 2

The diameter is twice the radios: R=2r=280 µ m 11 / 25

Problem : A conductor of uniform radius 1.20 cm carries a
current of 3 A produced by an electric field of 120 V/m. What is
the resistivity of the material?
Knowns :
r=1.20 cm , I =3 A , E=120 V /m

2
The cross sectional area of the wire= A= π r
I
J = =σ E
A

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Problem :The rod in the Figure (not drawn to scale) is made of
two materials. Both have a square cross section of d=3 mm on a
side. The first material has a resistivity of −3
4×10 Ω. m
and is 25 cm long, while the second material has a resistivity of
6×10 Ω. m and is 40.0 cm long. What is the resistance
−3

between the ends of the rod?

Figure: Adopted from Serway 5th Edition

Resistors in serious add like :

R T =R 1 + R 2
ρ 1=4×10(−3) l1=25 cm
(−3)
ρ 2=6×10 l 2=40 cm

A 1= A 2= A=d 2=(3×10−3 m)2

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Problem 67: A straight cylindrical wire lying along the x axis has a
length of 0.500 m and a diameter of 0.2 mm. It is made of a material
described by Ohm’s law with a resistivity of ρ =4×10−8 Ω . m Assume
that a potential of 4 V is maintained at x=0 m, and that V = 0 at x =0.5
m. Find (a) the electric field E ⃗ in the wire, (b) the resistance of the
wire, (c) the electric current in the wire, and (d) the current density ⃗J
in the wire. Express vectors in vector notation. (e) Show that E= ⃗ ρ ⃗J .

l=0.5m, ρ=4 X10-8 , r=R/2=0.1mm

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 A Model for Electrical Conduction Without an electric field

Here, we will discuss a structural model of electrical

conduction in metals.
●
In the absence of an electric field, the drift velocity of the
electrons is ZERO and no current through the conductor.

●
In the presence of an electric field, the carriers (electrons)
moves with a drift velocity.

● When an electric force Fe is applied to the free With an electric field

electron, the acceleration of the electron is: Figure: Adopted from Serway 5th Edition

F e =m e a , a=F e /me =qE / me

●
The average velocity of the electron is:
⃗
qE
v⃗f =a τ = v⃗d = τ
me Average time between collisions
●
The current density in Eq. (27.1) becomes:
2
nq E
J= σ E=nq v d = τ
me
2
1 nq τ
ρ =σ = m
e This Eq. implies that conductivity and
Resistivity is independent of E. 15 / 25
 Problem 25: If the drift velocity of free electrons
in a copper wire is 7.84×10 m/ s what is the
−4

electric field in the conductor?

Solution:
Note: 1 mol of any substance contains Avagadro’s number of atoms. Each
copper atom contributes one free electron to the current.
n=NA / Volume, NA =Avagadro’s number
Volume=molar mass /density
molar mass of copper=mc =63.5 g
mc 63.5 g 3
V=ρ = =7.09 cm ρc= mass density
c 8.95 g/cm3 n=charge carrier density
N A 6.02×10 23 electrons 6 cm
3
n= = (1×10 3 )(see example 27.1)
V 7.09 cm 3
m
n=8.49×1028 electrons/m(3)

m=electron mass

|e-|=q=1.6x10-19C

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Resistance and Temperature
●
The resistivity of a metal is a function of temperature.

ρ = ρ 0 (1+ α (T −T 0 ))
α :temperature coefficient of resistivity .
ρ : the resistivity at some temperature T (in degrees Celsius)
ρ 0 :the resistivity at some reference temperature T 0 =20 ° C

Reference temperature

●
From the above equation, the temperature coefficient of
resistivity can be written as:
ρ
ρ 0 =(1+ α (T −T 0 ))
ρ −ρ 0 Δρ
α= =
ρ 0 (T −T 0 ) ρ 0 Δ T
●
Since resistance R is proportional to resistivity ρ, the
resistance can be expressed as:

ΔR
R=R 0 [1+ α (T −T 0 )] α = 17 / 25
R0 Δ T
Problem 33: An aluminum wire with a diameter of 0.100 mm has a
uniform electric field with a magnitude of 0.200 V/m imposed along its
entire length. The temperature of the wire is 50°C. Assume one free
electron per atom.(a) Using the information given in Table 27.2, deter-
mine the resistivity. (b) What is the current density in the wire? (c) What is
the total current in the wire?(d) What is the drift speed of the conduction
electrons? (e) What potential difference must exist between the ends of a
2.00-m length of the wire if the stated electric field is to be produced?

Knowns:
E=0.2 V/m, R=0.1mm
T=500C, T0=200C
I=2 m

d/2=radius=(0.1/2)mm

Note:1 mol of any substance

contains Avagadro’s number of
atoms. Each aluminum atom
contributes one free electron to the
current.
n=NA / Volume,
NA =Avagadro’s number
Volume=molar mass /density

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 Problem 35: The temperature of a tungsten sample is raised
while a copper sample is maintained at 20°C. At what
temperature will the resistivity of the tungsten sample be
four times that of the copper sample?

ρ 0 cu=1.7×10−8
ρ 0 W =5.6×10−8

Δ T W =T W −T 0
T 0 =20 0 C=reference temparature

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 Electrical Energy and Power
●
Consider a positive charge Δ Q flowing
from point a through the battery and
resistor and back to point a.
●
When Δ Q moves from a to b, its energy
increase by an amount Δ U =Δ Q Δ V Figure: Adopted from Serway 5th Edition

●
Points a and d are grounded, so the electric
potential is zero at these two points.
●
When Δ Q moves from c to d, it loses the
energy. The energy is transferred to other
form.
●
When Δ Q gets back to point a, its potential
energy (zero) is the same as its initial
energy.
●
Power is the time rate of change of electric
energy. SI Units of power: Watts(W)
ΔU ΔQ
Power P= = Δ V =I Δ V
Δt Δt
●
By using Δ V =I R we can rewrite above
Eq. as follows: 20 / 25
2
Δ V
P=I 2 R= Power delivered to a resistor
R
Problem 51: A 500-W heating coil designed to
operate from 110 V is made of Nichrome wire 0.500
mm in diameter. (a) Assuming that the resistivity of the
Nichrome remains constant at its 20°C value, find the
length of wire used. (b) Now consider the variation of
resistivity with temperature. What power does the coil
of part (a) actually deliver when it is heated to 1200°C?

P=500 W, ΔV=110V, α=0.4 X10-3 , ρ=1.5 X10-6

At T0= 200 C
R/2=r=0.25mm

At 12000 C

Δ T =T −T 0=1200−20=1180

Power is delivered at 12000 C 21 / 25

●
Problem 53: A certain toaster has a heating element made
of Nichrome resistance wire. When the toaster is first
connected to a 120-V source of potential difference (and the
wire is at a temperature of 20.0°C), the initial current is 1.80
A. However, the current begins to decrease as the resistive
element warms up. When the toaster has reached its final
operating temperature, the current has dropped to 1.53 A. (a)
Find the power the toaster consumes when it is at its
operating temperature. (b) What is the final temperature of
the heating element?

Temperature coefficient of resistivity ΔV=120V

ΔV
I 0=1.8 A R 0 = (at 200 C),
I0
ΔV
T 0 =200 C R= , I=1.53 A (at final temperature)
I
Δ T =T −T 0 22 / 25
Problem 66: An electric car is designed to run off a bank of
12.0-V batteries with a total energy storage of 2×107 J .(a) If
the electric motor draws 8 kW, what is the current delivered
to the motor? (b) If the electric motor draws 8 kW as the car
moves at a steady speed of 20 m/s, how far will the car travel
before it is “out of juice”?
Knowns:
P=8 kW
ΔU=2X 107 J
v=20m/s
ΔV=12 V

ΔU
P=
t

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 REFERENCES

1) Physics For Scientist and

Engineers, SERWAY and JEWETT,
9th Edition.

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●
Recommended probelems in Chapter 27
Exampele 27.1,
●
Probelems: 3,8,12,15,16,18,23,31,
35,39,43,69,

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