What is Drift Velocity?

Subatomic particles like electrons move in random directions all the time. When electrons are
subjected to an electric field they do move randomly, but they slowly drift in one direction, in the
direction of the electric field applied. The net velocity at which these electrons drift is known as drift
velocity.
Drift velocity can be defined as:

The average velocity attained by charged particles, (eg. electrons) in a material

due to an electric field.
The SI unit of drift velocity is m/s. It is also measured in m2/(V.s).

Average drift velocity and the direction of the electric field

Net velocity of the electrons:

Every material above absolute zero temperature which can conduct like metals will have some free
electrons moving at random velocity. When a potential is applied around a conductor the electrons
will tend to move towards the positive potential, but as they move, they will collide with atoms and
will bounce back or lose some of their kinetic energy. However, due to the electric field, the electrons
will accelerate back again, and these random collisions will keep happening but as the acceleration
is always in the same direction due to the electric field, the net velocity of the electrons will also be
in the same direction.

Relation between Drift Velocity and Electric Current

Mobility is always a positive quantity and depends on the nature of the charge carrier, the drift
velocity of an electron is very small usually in terms of 10-3ms-1. Hence, at this velocity it will take
approx. 17 mins for electrons to pass through a conductor of 1 meter. But it’s surprising that we can
turn on electronic appliances in our home at lightning speeds with a flick of a switch this is because
an electric current is not established with the drift velocity but with the speed of light.
As soon as the electric field is established the current starts flowing inside the conductor at the
speed of light and not at the speed at which the electrons are drifting, hence there is a negligible
small delay between an input and an output in turning on of an electric bulb.

Relation between Drift Velocity and Current Density

We can define current density as the total amount of current passing through a unit cross-sectional
conductor in unit time. From drift velocity, we know the formula for drift velocity as:
I = nAvQ
J = I/A = nVQ
Where,

• J is the current density measured in Amperes per square meter

• v is the drift velocity of the electrons
Thun, we can say that drift velocity of the electrons and its current density is directly proportional to
each other. Also, when the electric field intensity increases, the drift velocity increases, and the
current flowing through the conductor also increases.
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What is Drift Velocity of Electrons

with Derivation
Every material is made up of atoms which are in turn composed of negatively
charged electrons. These negatively charged electrons move in random
directions within the atom. This movement of electrons generates electricity.
But due to their random motion, the average velocity of electrons in a material
becomes zero. It was observed that when a potential difference is applied to
the ends of a material, electrons present in the material acquire a certain
amount of velocity which causes a small net flow in one direction. This velocity
that causes the electrons to move in a certain direction is known as Drift
Velocity.

What is a Drift Velocity?

The average velocity attained by random moving electrons when the external
electric field is applied, which causes the electrons to move towards one
direction is called the Drift Velocity.
Every conductor material contains free, randomly moving electrons at a
temperature above the absolute zero. When the external electric field is applied
around the material the electrons attain velocity and tend to move towards the
positive direction, and the net velocity of the electrons will be in one direction.
The electron will move in the direction of the applied electric field. Here electron
does not give up its randomness of motion but shifts towards higher potential
with their random motion.

The current produced by this movement of electrons towards the higher

potential is called the Drift Current. Thus, one can say that every current
produced in a conductor material is a Drift Current.

Drift Velocity Derivation

To derive the expression for drift-velocity, its relation with the mobility of
electrons and the effect of applied external electric field have to be known.
Mobility of an electron is defined as it’s Drift Velocity for a unit electric field. The
electric field is proportional to the current. Thus the Ohm’s law can be written as
F = -μE.——(1)
where μ is the mobility of the electron measured as m2/ V.sec
E is the electric field measured as V/m

we know that F =ma, substitute in (1)

a = F/m = -μE/m———-(2)
final velocity u = v+at

Here v = 0, t = T, which is the relaxation time of electron

Therefore u =aT, substitute in (2)

∴ u =-(μE/m)T
Here, u is the Drift velocity, measured as m/s.

This gives the final expression. The SI unit of drift velocity is m/s or m2/(V.s)
& V/m
Drift Velocity Formula
This formula is used to find the drift velocity of electrons in a current-carrying
conductor. When electrons with density n and charge Q causes a current ‘I’ to
flow through a conductor of cross-sectional area A, Drift velocity v can be
calculated through the formula I = nAvQ.
An increase in the applied external electric field intensity causes the electrons
to accelerate more rapidly towards a positive direction, opposite to the direction
of the applied electric field.

The Relation between Drift Velocity and Electric Current

Every conductor contains randomly moving free electrons in it. Movement of
electrons in one direction caused by the Drift velocity generates a current. The
drift velocity of an electron is very small usually in terms of 10-1m/s. Thus, with
this amount of velocity, it will take an electron usually 17 mins to pass through
a conductor of length one meter.

drift-velocity-of-
electrons

That means if we switch on an electric bulb it should turn on after 17 mins. But
we can turn on the electric bulb in our home at a lightning speed with a flick of
a switch. This is because the speed of the electric current does not depend on
the drift velocity of the electron.

Electric current moves with a speed of light. It is not established with the drift
velocity of the electrons in the material. Thus, it may vary in material but the
speed of electric current always established on the speed of light.

The Relation between Current Density and Drift Velocity

Current density is defined as the total amount of current passing per unit time
through per unit cross-sectional area of the conductor. From the formula of drift
velocity, the current is given as

I = nAvQ
so, the current density J when cross-sectional area and drift velocity are given
can be calculated as

J= I/A =nvQ
where v is the drift velocity of the electrons. Current density is measured as
Amperes per square meter. Thus, from the formula, it can be said that the Drift
velocity of the electrons of a conductor and its current density is directly
proportional to each other. As the Drift-velocity increases with the increase in
the electric field intensity, the current flowing through per cross-sectional area
also increases.

The Relation between Drift Velocity and Relaxation Time

In a conductor, electrons move randomly as gas molecules. During this motion,
they collide with each other. The relaxation time of the electron is the time
required by the electron to return to its initial equilibrium value after the collision.
This relaxation time is directly proportional to the applied external electric field
strength. Larger the electric field time, more the time needed by electrons to
come to initial equilibrium after the field is removed.

Relaxation time is also defined as the time for which the electron can move
freely between successive collisions with other ions.

When the force due to the applied electric field is eE, then V can be given as

V = (eE/m)T
where T is the relaxation time of the electrons.

Drift Velocity Expression

When the mobility μ of the charge carriers and the strength of the applied
electric field E are given, then Ohm’s law in terms of drift velocity can be
expressed as
V = μE
The S.I units for the mobility of electron are m2/V-s.
S.I units of electric field E are V/m.
Thus the S.I unit for v is m/s. This S.I unit is also known as the Axial Drift
Velocity.

Thus, Electrons present in the conductor move randomly even when no external
electric field is applied. But the net velocity produced by them gets canceled
due to random collisions so, the net current will be zero. Thus, the relationship
between electric current, current density and drift-velocity helps in the proper
flow of electric current through the conductor. What is a Drift current?