12

CLASS

Current
Electricity
Drift Speed

vd

Jayant Nagda
Jayant Nagda
B.Tech, IIT Bombay
IIT-JEE AIR - 161
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Drift Speed
In conductors, e-s are relatively free to move
 Drift Speed

These free e-s move randomly

like molecules in a gas

at high speeds.

vrms = = ≈ 105m/s
 Drift Speed

These free e-s collide with fixed +ve ions (lattice)

and follow zigzag path,
+
+
+
+

motion is random, no net flow of charge in

any direction.
Drift Speed When Electric field is applied
e-s shift opposite to field

there is a net transfer of charge

resulting in current

electrons drift at rate vd ≈ 10-4 m/s

 E
Drift Speed E

Original path

Path of applied
Electric field
Drift Speed

It is a drifted motion.
In the absence of applied potential, the electric current flowing
through a metallic wire is zero because -

A. The electrons remain stationary

B. The electrons are drifted in random direction with a

speed of the order of 10-2 cm/s

C. The electrons moved in random direction with a

speed of the order close to that of velocity of light

D. Electrons and ions move in opposite direction

Drift Speed

Force = ? acceleration = ?
EE

-
Drift Speed eE
F = eE a=
m

τ = relaxation time
(Average time taken by e-
+ between two successive collisions.

+
Drift Speed Vd

Average speed with which e-s drift,

in the direction opposite to applied electric field.
E

m : mass of e-
eE𝜏
𝝂d = e : electronic charge
m
𝜏 : relaxation time
depends on material
 Drift Speed Vd
Average speed with which e-s drift,
in the direction opposite to applied electric field.

+
Mobility μ

defined as drift speed per unit electric field

𝛎d
μ=
E
 Relation between Current Density & Drift Speed
E
length of conductor = l =

n: free e-s per unit volume

A
 Relation between Current Density & Drift Speed
E

i = neA𝝂d
A

j = ne𝝂d

𝝂dΔt
n: free e-s per unit volume

vd: drift speed

At room temperature, copper has free electron density of 8.4 x 1028 m-3.
The electron drift speed in a copper conductor of cross-sectional area
10-6 m2 and carrying a current of 5.4 A, will be -
A. 4 ms-1

B. 0.4 ms-1

C. 4 cms-1

D. 0.4 mms-1
A current of 10 A exists in a wire of cross sectional area of 5 mm2
with a drift velocity of 2 × 10-3 ms-1. The number of free electrons
in each cubic meter of the wire is
A. 2 × 106

B. 625 × 1025

C. 2 × 1025

D. 1 × 1023
The area of cross section of a current carrying conductor is Ao and
Ao/4 at section (1) and (2) respectively. If vd1 and vd2 be the drift
velocity at sections (1) and (2) respectively, then -
A.

B.

C.

D. None of these
 Electric Current

For a conductor

● Current does not change with

change in cross section

Charge is conserved

Charge entering per sec at one end of conductor

is equal to charge leaving per sec at the other end.
Steady current is passing through a linear conductor of
non-uniform cross-section. The current density in the conductor is -

A. Independent of area of cross-section

B. Directly proportional to area of cross-section

C. Inversely proportional to area of cross-section

D. Inversely proportional to the square root of

area of cross-section
A steady current flows in a metallic conductor of non-uniform cross-
section. Then which of the following quantity/quantities is/are
constant along the conductor -
[IIT JEE 1997]

A. drift speed

B. current density

C. electric field

D. current
Current passes through a wire of non-uniform cross-section. Which of
the following quantity is independent of the cross-sectional area ?

(i) the charge passing through it in a given time interval

(ii) drift speed
(iii)current density
(iv)free electron density
A. All the statements are incorrect
B. All the statements are correct
C. Only (i) & (iv) are correct
D. Only (i) is correct
A current I flows through a uniform wire of diameter d when the
mean electron drift velocity is V. The same current will flow
through a wire of diameter d/2 made of the same material if the
mean drift velocity of the electron is:
A. v/4

B. v/2

C. 2v

D. 4v
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