Current and Resistors

General Physics 2
Problem
 The battery pack of a pocket calculator has a
voltage* of 3.0 V and delivers a current of 0.17 mA.
In one hour of operation,
 (a) how much charge flows in the circuit and
 (b) how much energy does the battery deliver to the
calculator circuit?

 *The potential difference between two points, such as the terminals of a

battery, is commonly called the voltage between the points.
Solution
∆𝑞
 a) I= then
∆𝑡
 ∆𝑞 = I∆𝑡
 ∆𝑞 = (0.17 x 10—3 Amperes)(3,600 seconds)
 ∆𝑞 = 0.61 Coulombs
𝐸𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦
 b) Energy = Charge x
𝐶ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑔𝑒
 Energy = (0.61 Coulombs)(3.0 Volts)
 Energy = 1.8 Joules
Problem
 An 18 gauge copper wire (the size usually used for
lamp cords) has a nominal diameter of 1.02 mm.
This wire carries a constant current of 1.67
Amperes to a 200 watt lamp. The density of free
electrons is 8.5 x 1028 electrons per cubic metre.
Find the magnitudes of
 (a) the current density and
 (b) the drift velocity
Solution
 Computing for the cross — sectional area
π𝑑2 π 1.02 𝑥 10—3 𝑚 2
A = =
4 4
A = 8.17 x 10—7 m2
 Current density is the equal to
𝐼 1.67 𝐴
J = =
𝐴 8.17 x 10—7 m2
𝐴
J = 2.04 x 10 6
𝑚2
Solution
 Computing for the drift velocity magnitude Vd
𝐽 2.04 x 106 𝐴
2
 Vd = = 𝑚
𝑛|𝑞| 8.5 x 1028 𝑚—3 |—1.6 x 10—19 C|
 1.5 x 10—4 meters per second
 For 1 meter of cable
𝑑 𝑑 1 meter
V = ; then t = =
𝑡 𝑣 1.5 x 10—4 meters per second
t = 6,700 seconds
Problem
 The 18-gauge copper wire from the previous
example has a diameter of 1.02 mm and a cross-
sectional area of 8.20 x 10—7 m2. It carries a
current of 1.67 Ampere. Find
 (a) the electric-field magnitude in the wire;
 (b)the potential difference between two points in
the wire 50.0 m apart;
 (c) the resistance of a 50.0 m length of this wire.
Solution
 Electric
field magnitude in the wire
 From the table of resistivities (previous page)
ρ𝐼 (1.72 𝑥 10—8 Ω∙𝑚)(1.67 𝐴)
E = ρJ = =
𝐴 (8.20 𝑥 10—7 𝑚2)
 0.0350 V/m
 Potential difference
 V = EL = (0.0350 V/m)(50 m) = 1.75 volts
Solution
 Computing for the resistance of a 50 meters
length of this wire
𝑉 1.75 𝑉
R = = = 1.05 Ω
𝐼 1.67 𝐴
 Checking
ρ𝐿 (1.72 𝑥 10—8 Ω∙𝑚)(50 𝑚)
R = =
𝐴 (8.20 𝑥 10—7 𝑚2)
Problem
 The filament in a light bulb is a
resistor in the form of a thin piece of
wire. The wire becomes hot enough to
emit light because of the current in it.
The figure shows a flashlight that uses
two 1.5-V batteries (effectively a
single 3.0-V battery) to provide a
current of 0.40 A in the filament.
Determine the resistance of the
glowing filament.
Solution
𝑉
R =
𝐼
3.0 𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑡𝑠
R =
0.40 𝐴𝑚𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑠
R = 7.5 Ω

The circuit in this flashlight consists of a resistor (the filament of

the light bulb) connected to a 3.0-V battery (two 1.5-V batteries)
Problem
 The instructions for an electric lawn mower suggest
that a 20-gauge extension cord can be used for
distances up to 35 m, but a thicker 16-gauge cord
should be used for longer distances, to keep the
resistance of the wire as small as possible. The cross-
sectional area of 20-gauge wire is 5.2 x 10—7 m2, while
that of 16-gauge wire is 13 x 10—7 m2. Determine the
resistance of
 (a) 35 m of 20-gauge copper wire and
 (b) 75 m of 16-gauge copper wire.
Solution
 For the 20 gauge wire
ρ𝑙 (1.72 𝑥 10—8 Ω𝑚)(35 𝑚)
R = =
𝐴 5.2 𝑥 10—7 𝑚2
R = 1.2 Ω
 For the 16 gauge wire
ρ𝑙 (1.72 𝑥 10—8 Ω𝑚)(75 𝑚)
R = =
𝐴 13 𝑥 10—7 𝑚2
R = 0.99 Ω
Problem
 The figure shows a cherry-red heating element on an
electric stove. The element contains a wire (length =
1.1 m, cross-sectional area = 3.1 x 10—6 m2) through
which electric charge flows. As shown in the figure, this
wire is embedded within an electrically insulating
material that is contained within a metal casing. The
wire becomes hot in response to the flowing charge and
heats the casing. The material of the wire has a
resistivity of ρ0 = 6.8 x 10—5 Ω∙m at T0 = 320oC and a
temperature coefficient of resistivity of
𝛼 = 2.0 x 10—3(oC)—1. Determine the resistance of the
heater wire at an operating temperature of 420oC.
Solution
 At
420oC, the material of the wire has a resistivity
equal to
ρ = ρo[1 + 𝛼(T—T0)]
ρ = (6.8 x 10—5Ω∙m)[1+(2.0 x 10—3(oC)—1(420—320)oC]
ρ = 8.2 x 10—5Ω∙m
ρ𝐿 (8.2 x 10—5Ω∙m)(1.1 𝑚)
R = =
𝐴 (3.1 x 10—6 m2)
 R = 29 Ω
Problem
 If your body resistance is
100,000 Ω, how much
current will you experience
if you touch the terminals
of a 12-V battery?
Problem
 Ifyour skin is very moist, so
that your resistance is only
1000 Ω, and you again touch
the battery terminals, how
much current will you
experience?
Problem
 Youare given a length of uniform heating wire
made of a nickel–chromium–iron alloy called
Nichrome; it has a resistance R of 72 Ω. At what
rate is energy dissipated in each of the following
situations?
A potential difference of 120 V is applied across
the full length of the wire.
 Thewire is cut in half, and a potential difference
of 120 V is applied across the length of each half
Solution
V2
P =
R
2
120 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑡𝑠
P =
72 Ω
P = 200 watts
V2
 P’ =
R
2
120 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑡𝑠
 P’ =
72 Ω
 P’ = 400 watts; P = 2P’ = 800 watts