CURRENT ELECTRICITY

Worksheet-28
(Mechanism of Current Flow: Drift Velocity & Relaxation Time)

Type-01 : Theory & Conceptual Problems

1. A large number of free electrons are present in metals. Why is there no current in the absence
of electric field across it?

2. 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?
(CBSE D 2012)

3. The electron drift arises due to the force experienced by electrons in the electric field inside
the conductor. But force should cause acceleration. Why then do the electrons acquire a
steady average drift velocity?

4. How does the drift velocity of electrons in a metallic conductor vary with the increase in
temperature?
(CBSE D 2002 ; CBSE OD 2016)

5. If the temperature of a good conductor increases, how does the relaxation time of electrons in
the conductor change?
(CBSE OD 2002)

6. When we switch on an electric bulb, it lights up almost instantaneously though drift velocity
of electrons in copper wires is very small. Why?

7. If the length of the conductor is doubled, keeping potential difference unchanged, how is the
drift velocity of electrons affected?
8. A potential difference V is applied across a conductor of length L. How is the drift velocity
affected when V is doubled and L is halved?
(CBSE F 2010)

9. The drift velocity of free electrons in a conductor is V d when a current I is flowing in it. If both
the radius and current are doubled, how is the drift velocity affected?

10. A conductor of length L and diameter D is connected to a dc source of potential difference V.

How are the electric field and the drift velocity affected when-

(i) V is doubled
(ii) L is doubled
(iii) D is doubled
(CBSE OD 1997)

11. What is the nature of path of free electrons between successive collisions inside the conductor in
the-

(i) absence of electric field?

(ii) presence of electric field?
(NCERT)

12. The following table gives the length of three copper wires, their diameters and the applied
potential difference across their ends. Arrange the wires in increasing order according to the
following-

Wire No. Length Diameter Potential Difference

1 L 3D V
2 2L D V
3 3L 2D 2V

(i) the magnitude of the electric field within them

(ii) the drift velocity of electrons through them
(CBSE SP 2018)
 ANSWERS
1. In the absence of an electric field, the motion of the electrons in a metal is random. There is no
net flow of charge across any section of the conductor. So, no current flows in the metal.

2. No, only the drift velocities of the electrons are superposed over their random thermal velocities.

3. The force by the electric field accelerates the electrons due to which the drift velocity of
electrons increases but soon the electron undergoes collision and loses its speed. It again starts
accelerating under the influence of electric field, gains speed, undergoes collision and loses its
speed. This process continues. Thus, overall the electron acquires a steady average drift speed.

4. On increasing the temperature, the kinetic energy of free electrons increases and so they collide
more frequently with each other and hence their drift velocity decreases.

5. With the increase in temperature, the electrons collide more frequently with each other and with
positive metal ions. So, their relaxation time decreases.

6. When the electric circuit is closed, electric field is set up throughout the circuit almost instantly.
Electrons in every part of the circuit begin to drift in the opposite direction of electric field. A
current starts flowing in the circuit almost instantaneously.

7. The drift velocity will become half of the original value. This is because at constant potential
difference, drift velocity is inversely proportional to the length of the conductor.

8. Drift velocity becomes four times of the original value.

9. Drift velocity becomes half of the original value.

10. When V is doubled, E becomes double and Vd becomes double

When L is doubled, E becomes half and Vd becomes half
When D is doubled, E remains unchanged and V d is also unchanged

11. In the absence of electric field, the paths are straight lines ; In the presence of electric field, the
paths are curved.

12. E2 < E3 < E1 ; Vd2 < Vd3 < Vd1