CURRENT ELECTRICITY

Electrostatics is the study of charges at rest while current electricity is

the study of charges in motion.
 Source of Electric Current
• Conductor : According to the kinetic theory the free electrons are in
continuous motion. Consider first the case when no electric field is present.
The electrons will be moving due to thermal motion during which they collide
with the fixed ions. An electron colliding with an ion emerges with the same
speed as before the collision. However, the direction of its velocity after the
collision is completely random. This is called thermal velocity of an
electron.At a given time, there is no preferential direction for the velocities of
the electrons. Thus on the average, the number of electrons travelling in any
direction will be equal to the number of electrons travelling in the opposite
direction. Net motion of charge in a particular direction is zero So, there will
be no net electric current. When this conductor is connected with source of
E.M.F the free electron will move only in one direction. This unidirectional
movement of electrons create current in a conductor.
• Electrolyte solution: there are positively charged and negatively charged
ions, which are in motion. When an external source is connected negatively
charged ions move towards positive electrode and positively charged ions
move towards negative electrode
• Semiconductor : flow of both electrons and holes create current.
• Electric current :
• Electric current is defined as the rate of flow of the electric charge
• through any the area of cross-section of the conductor i.e
• Electric current = Total charge flowing / time taken
• if q is the amount of steady flow of charge through the conductor in t
sec, The current through the conductor is given by I=q/t
• If the charge flow is varying, then instantaneous current at any instant
(t )is
• SI unit of the current is Ampere (A)
• 1 Ampere = 1 Coulomb/ 1 sec =1 Cs-1
• Thus current through any conductor is said to be 1 ampere, if 1 C of charge
is flowing through the conductor in 1 sec
• Small amount of currents are
mill amperes (1mA=10-3 A) or
micro ampere (1 μA=10-6 A)
• Direction of electric current is in the direction of the flow of positive
charged carriers and this current is known as conventional current.
• Direction of the flow of electron in conductor gives the direction of
electronic current. Direction of conventional current is opposite to that of
electronic current
• Electric current is a scalar quantity
Current density (j) :
• The current density at a point in the conductor is defined
as the current per unit cross-section area. j =I / A
• Direction of current density is same as the direction of
conventional current
• Note that current density is a vector quantity unlike
electric current
• Unit of current density is Ampere/meter2 (Am^-2)
Ohm's Law and Resistance :
• Statement of Ohm's Law : Current (I) flowing through a conductor is
always directly proportional to the potential difference (V) across
the two ends of the conductor provided temperature and physical
conditions remain the same
• Mathematically , V α I , V=IR ------------------(1)
Where constant of proportionality R is called the electric resistance or
simply resistance of the conductor
• R = V/I;
Thus electric resistance is the ratio of potential difference across the
two ends of conductor and amount of current flowing through the
conductor
• Electric resistance of a conductor is the opposition offered by the
conductor to the flow of the current through it.
 SI unit of resistance is ohm (Ω) where
1 Ohm=1 volt/1 Ampere or 1Ω=1VA^-1 .
• The resistance of conductor is said to be 1 ohm, if
1ampere of current flows through it, when a
potential difference of one volt is applied across it.
Dimension of resistance is [ML^2T^-3A^-2)
Factors affecting the resistance of a conductor
• Length of the conductor : As length of the conductor increases
resistances increases , R α L
• Area of cross section : As area of cross section increases resistances
decreases, R α 1/A
R α L/A ; R = ρ L / A ; ρ = resistivity or specific resistance
Combination of Resistors in Series:
Resistors are said to be connected in series combination. If same current flows
through each resistor when same potential difference is applied across the
combination.

Three resistors R1, R2 and R3 are connected in series combination.

If battery is connected across the series combination so as to maintain potential
difference V between points A and B, the current I would pass through each
resistor.
If V1, V2 and V3 is the potential difference across each resistorR1, R2 and R3
respectively, then according to Ohm's Law
V1=IR1 , V2=IR2 , V3=IR3
 Since in series combination current remains same but potential is divided so,
V = V1+ V2+ V3
Total potential across the combination V = IR
V = I (R1 + R2 + R3 )
IR = I (R1 + R2 + R3 )
Rs = R1 + R2 + R3
Rs is the resistance equivalent to the series combination of R1, R2 and R3.
Thus when the resistors are connected in series, equivalent resistance of the
series combination is equal to the sum of individual resistances.
Value of resistance of the series combination is always greater than the value
of largest individual resistances.
For n numbers of resistors connected in series equivalent resistance would
be Rs = R1 + R2 + R3 +...........................+ Rn
If n number of resistors of same value of resistance are connected in series
then Rs = nR
 Combination of Resistors in parallel:
Resistors are said to be connected in parallel combination if potential
difference across each resistors is same but current is divided.

Battery B is connected across parallel combination of resistors so as to

maintain potential difference V across each resistors. Then total current in
the circuit would be
I = I1 + I2 + I3
Since potential difference across each resistors is V. Therefore, on applying
Ohm's Law

V = I1R1 = I2R2 =I3R3