3.0 Electric Current: EPF 0024: Physics II 1

3.
0 Electric Current
EPF 0024: Physics II
Outline
3.1
3.2
32
3.3
3.4
34
Production of direct electric current

Oh
Ohms
L
Law
Resistivity
El
Electric
ti E
Energy and
dP
Power
Today's
Today
s lecture Include:
Production of direct electric current
Ohms Law
Objectives
To explain the basic principles of a simple
cell and define the electric current.
State and explain Ohms law.

Solve Problems.
3.1 Principle
p of a Simple
p Cell
+ Terminal
simple cell (Fig. 3.1)

consists
of
two
rods
(electrodes) of carbon and
zinc immersed in solution,
solution
e.g. diluted sulfuric acid
(electrolyte).
The terminals of the cell is
Carbon
electrode (+)
Terminal
Zinc
electrode ()
Acid
the portion of the electrode

Electrical symbol for a cell
outside
t id
th
the
electrolyte.
l t l t
A
+
Battery are several cells
connected
together
(in
series).
i )
Fig. 3.1 A Simple Electric Cell
3 1 1 Operation of a simple cell

3.1.1
Electrolyte
y dissolves zinc and each zinc atom
leaves 2 electrons behind and enters the
electrolyte as positive ion making zinc electrode
velyy charged
g
and electrolyte
y +velyy charged.
g
The +ve electrolyte pulls off electrons from the
carbon electrode making it +vely charged and a
p d now exists between the two terminals.
p.d.
terminals
The p
p.d. ((voltage)
g ) that exists between terminals
is called the electromotive force (emf). Allowing
charges to flow externally results in more zinc
being dissolved to maintain constant voltage at
terminals. Eventually, the zinc will be used up.
3.1.2 The Electric Current

A simple
p
electric circuit is
shown in (Fig. 3.2 (a)).
Closing the switch S results in
a net motion of electrons from
the negative terminal to the
positive terminal.
Motion
of
charges
is
represented as flow of
conventional electric current
from +ve terminal to negative
as shown in Fig. 3.2 (b).
Fig. 3.2 (a) flashlight (simple

electric circuit) & (b) direction
of current & electron flow.
7
The electric current I is defined as the net

amount of charge that passes through a given
cross-section of a conductor per unit time:
I=
Q
t
Q
I=
t
Constant current
(3.1)
Variable current
The SI unit of I is coulomb per second (C/s)

and is known as the ampere (symbol: A).
A)
Example
A steady current of 2.5 A flows in a wire for

4.0
4
0 minutes.
minutes (a) How much charge pass
through any point in the circuit. (b) How many
electrons would this be.
be
Solution
(a)
q = It = (2.5 C/s )(4 60 s ) = 600 C
(b)
q = ne
(
600 C )
q
21
n= =
=
3
.
8
10
electrons.
19
e 1.6 10 C
10
3 5 Ohms
3.5
Ohm s Law
I as a function of V is a
States: The current flowing

through
th
h a conductor
d t is
i directly
di tl
proportional to the potential
difference applied to its ends.
V
I=
or V = IR
R
Where
I (A)
(3.2)
the
proportionality
constant R is called resistance
( it = ohm
(units
h ()).
())
Circuit symbol for R
straight line through the

origin (Fig.
(Fig 3.3).
3 3)
1
I
slope =
=
V R
I
V
V (V)
Fig.
g 3.3: I versus V for
conductors
11
Resistors are an indispensable part of all

electronic components (Fig. 3.4).
Fig. 3.4 Electronic components

12
Table 3.1 shows the convention to determine

the value of a resistor using color codes.
codes
Table 3.1: Color code for resistors
1st digit
2nd digit
Multiplier
Black
Brown
10
Red
102
Orange
103
Yellow
104
G
Green
105
Blue
106
Violet
107
Grey
108
White
109
Color
Tolerance (%)
Gold
0.1
Silver
0.01
10
No color
20
13
Fig. 3.5 is an example indicating the decoding

of the actual value of a resistor.
resistor
Using
g the color code in Table 3.1 the resistor
value is determined to be 25 k 10%.
1st digit (red)
2nd digit (green)
Multiplier (orange)
Tolerance ((silver))
Fig. 3.5: Decoding of actual resistor value

14
Example
p 1
A small flashlight bulb draws 300 mA from its

1.5
1
5 V battery.
b tt
( ) What
(a)
Wh t is
i the
th resistance
i t
off the
th
bulb? (b) If the voltage is dropped to 1.2 V,
how would the current change?
15
Solution
(a) Applying Ohm
Ohmss law we find:
V (1.5 V )
R= =
= 5 .0
I (0.3 A )
(b) If the voltage drops to 1.2
1 2 V,
V assuming the
resistance stayed constant, then
V (1.2 V )
I= =
= 0.24 A or a drop of 60 mA.
R (5.0 )
16
3 6 Resistivity
3.6
For conductors:
L
L
R
or R =
A
A
(3 3)
(3.3)
Where
Wh
is
i resistivity,
i ti it L length
l
th and
d A crosssectional area. From equation (3.3) we
deduce the SI unit of resistivity to be .m.
17
Example
Given that the resistivity of a copper wire is

1 7 1088 .m.
1.7
m Find (a) the diameter of a 20-m
20 m
circular wire if the resistance of the wire is
g drop
p across
0.10 . ((b)) What is the voltage
the wire if the current flowing through the wire
is 12 A.
18
Solution
((a)) R = L = 4 L
2
A d
4 L
d=
R
=
(4)(1.7 108 .m )(20 m ) = 2.1103 m = 2.1 mm

(0.10
0 10 )
(b) Using Ohms

V = IR
= (12 A )(0.10 )
= 1.2 V
19
Today's
Today
s lecture Include:
Temperature Effect on Resistance.
Superconductivity.
Superconductivity
20
Objectives
j
Explain
E plain the effect of increasing temperature
temperat re on
resistance.
Explain superconducting effect.

Consider some applications related to these
concepts.
concepts
21
3 7 Temperature Effect on Resistance

3.7
Resistivity of metals increases linearly with
increasing
temperature
(for
moderate
temperatures of up to 300oC) according to:
T = o (1 + T )
(3.4)
where o is the resistivity at 0oC and is

temperature coefficient of resistivity. The rapid
vibration of atoms at higher temperatures
causes a conductor to have higher resistance.
22
3.7.1 Resistance Thermometer

Variation of R with temperature
p
is used for
precise temperature measurement. If at 0C R

for Pt is 164.2 . When placed in a solution, R
increases to 187.4 . What is the temperature of
the solution if for copper is 3.927 103 (oC)1?
Since R0 = 0L/A , we can write equation 3.4 as

R = R0 (1 + T ), T = T 0o C = T
R R0
187.4 164.2
o
T=
=
=
35.9
C
1
3
o
R0
3.927 10
C (164.2 )
( )
23
3 7 2 Superconductivity
3.7.2
At low temperatures
p
the resistance of certain
metals and their alloys drop to zero. The effect
is termed superconductivity and materials
exhibiting the phenomenon are called
superconductors.
It was first observed by Onnes in 1911, when

mercury was cooled down to below 4.2
4 2 K.
K In
general materials become superconducting
within a few degrees of absolute zero.
zero
24
Resistivityy of superconductors
p
is p
practically
y
zero. Current in a ring-shaped super
conducting coil has been observed to flow for
years in the absence off a potential difference.
ff
Earlier, the highest temperature at which

superconductivity is achieved was 23 K and
so requires liquid hydrogen cooling.
cooling Currently
some alloys have been developed that can
be superconducting at 90 K requiring cooling
in boiling liquid nitrogen.
25
Advantages of superconductivity :
(i) Smaller electric motors and generators.
Electric cars will be practical.
(ii) Less power lost on transmission lines and
use of thinner wires feasible (cost saving).
(iii) Faster computer and more efficient high
speed train levitation.
26

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3.

EPF 0024: Physics II

Production of direct electric current

EPF 0024: Physics II

EPF 0024: Physics II

State and explain Ohms law.

EPF 0024: Physics II

simple cell (Fig. 3.1)

The terminals of the cell is

the portion of the electrode

3 1 1 Operation of a simple cell

EPF 0024: Physics II

3.1.2 The Electric Current

EPF 0024: Physics II

Fig. 3.2 (a) flashlight (simple

The electric current I is defined as the net

The SI unit of I is coulomb per second (C/s)

A steady current of 2.5 A flows in a wire for

EPF 0024: Physics II

q = It = (2.5 C/s )(4 60 s ) = 600 C

EPF 0024: Physics II

States: The current flowing

EPF 0024: Physics II

Circuit symbol for R

straight line through the

Resistors are an indispensable part of all

Fig. 3.4 Electronic components

Table 3.1 shows the convention to determine

Fig. 3.5 is an example indicating the decoding

Fig. 3.5: Decoding of actual resistor value

A small flashlight bulb draws 300 mA from its

EPF 0024: Physics II

EPF 0024: Physics II

Given that the resistivity of a copper wire is

EPF 0024: Physics II

(4)(1.7 108 .m )(20 m ) = 2.1103 m = 2.1 mm

(b) Using Ohms

EPF 0024: Physics II

Explain superconducting effect.

EPF 0024: Physics II

3 7 Temperature Effect on Resistance

where o is the resistivity at 0oC and is

EPF 0024: Physics II

3.7.1 Resistance Thermometer

precise temperature measurement. If at 0C R

Since R0 = 0L/A , we can write equation 3.4 as

EPF 0024: Physics II

It was first observed by Onnes in 1911, when

Earlier, the highest temperature at which

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