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(a) What is the current density in each wire?
(b) What is the drift speed of the conduction electrons in the copper
wire? Assume that, on the average, each copper atom contributes
one conduction electron.
Solution:
(a) We may take the current density as constant with in each wire
(except near the junction, where the diameter changes). The
crosssectional area A of the aluminum wire is
AAl = π(d/2)2
= π/4 (2.5×103 m)2
= 4.91×106m2
And the current density is given by the equation J = i/A,
JAl = i/A
= i/AAl
= (17×103 A)/(4.91×106 m2)
= 3.5×103 A/m2
As you can verify, the crosssectional area of the copper wire is
2.54×106 m2, so
JCu = i/ACu
= (17×103 A)/(2.54×106 m2)
=6.7×103A/m2
From the above observation we conclude that, the current density in
aluminum wire would be 3.5×103 A/m2 and copper wire would be
6.7×103A/m2.
(b) We can find the drift speed from equation J = (ne)vd if we first
find n, the number of electrons per unit volume. With the given
assumption of about one conduction electron per atom, n is the same
as the number of atoms per unit volume and can be found from
n/NA = ρ/M or [atoms/m3]/[atoms/mol] = [mass/m3]/[mass/mol].
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n= NAρ/M
= (6.02×1023 mol1) (9.0×103 kg/m3)/(64×103 kg/mol
=8.47×1028 electrons/m3
We then have from equation J = (ne)vd,
vd = [6.7×103A/m2]/[(8.47×1028 electrons/m3)(1.6×1019 C/electron)]
= 4.9×107m/s = 1.8 mm/h
From the above observation we conclude that, the drift speed of the
conduction electrons in the copper wire would be 1.8 mm/h.
Question 2:
A rectangular block of iron has dimensions 1.2 cm×1.2 cm×15 cm.
(a) What is the resistance of the block measured between the two
square ends?
(b) What is the resistance between two opposite rectangular faces?
Solution:
(a) The resistivity of iron at room temperature is 9.68×10 8 Ω.m. The
area of a square end is (1.2×102m)2, or 1.44×104 m2. From
equation R = ρL/A,
R= ρL/A
= [(9.68×108 Ω.m)(0.15 m)]/ [1.44×104 m2]
=1.0×104 Ω
= 100μΩ
Therefore, the resistance of the block measured between the two
square ends would be 100μΩ.
(b) The area of a rectangular face is (1.2×10 2m) (0.15 m), or
1.80×103 m2. From equation R = ρL/A,
R = ρL/A
= [(9.68×108 Ω.m)(1.2×102m)]/ [1.80×103 m2]
= 6.5×107Ω
= 0.65 μΩ
Question 3 (IITJEE):
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(a) What is the mean free path time τ between collisions for the
conduction electrons in copper?
(b) What is the mean free path λ for these collisions? Assume an
effective speed veff of 1.6×106 m/s.
Solution:
(a) We know that,
ρ=m/ne2
The number of conduction electrons per unit volume (n) in copper will
be,
n/NA = ρ/M or [atoms/m3]/[atoms/mol] = [mass/m3]/[mass/mol]
n = NAρ/M
= (6.02×1023 mol1) (9.0×103 kg/m3)/(64×103 kg/mol)
=8.47×1028 electrons/m3
The value of ρ for copper is 1.69×108 Ω.m.
So the denominator of the above equation will be,
ne2 = (8.47×1028 electrons/m3) (1.6×1019C)2(1.69×108 Ω.m)
= 3.66×1017C2. Ω/m2
= 3.66×1017 kg/s
Here we converted units as,
C2. Ω/m2 = C2. V/m2.A = (C2.J/C)/(m2.C/s) = (kg.m2/s2)/(m2/s) = kg/s
For the mean free time we then have,
= (9.1×1031kg)/(3.66×1017 kg/s)
= 2.5×1014s
Therefore, the mean free path time τ between collisions for the
conduction electrons in copper would be 2.5×1014s.
(b) We defined the mean free path as being the average distance
traversed by a particle between collisions. Here the time between
collisions of a free electron is τ and the speed of the electron is veff .
So, λ = veff
= (2.5×1014s) (1.6×106 m/s)
= 4.0×108 m = 40 nm
From the above observation, we conclude that the mean free path λ
for these collisions would be 40 nm. This is about 150 times the
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distance between nearest neighbor atoms in a copper lattice.
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