DC CIRCUITS

ELECTRIC CURRENT

KIRCHOFF’S LAWS

RC CIRCUITS

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Electrical current is defined as the rate at which charge flows
[1]
 The SI unit for electrical current is ampere (A) = C/second
 Convention :
(1) Direction of current is the direction of flow of positive charge.
(2) Current is NOT a vector, but the current density is a vector.

 = charge flow per unit time per unit area

[2]
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Fig. 1

[3]

[4]
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 The current density given in equation [4] can also be written as:
[5]

The current density J in the conductor can also be defined as the current per unit area.

 A current density and an electric field are established in a conductor whenever a potential difference is
maintained across the conductor.

 In some materials, the current density is proportional to the electric field:

(Ohmic conductors) [6]
where is the conductivity of the material

Fig. 2

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 considering a segment of straight wire of uniform cross-sectional area A and length , as shown in Fig. 2.

 A potential difference is maintained across the wire, creating in the wire an electric field and a current.

 If the field is assumed to be uniform, the magnitude of the potential difference across the wire is related to
the field within the wire through:

[7]
Subst. [7] into [6]:
[8]
But , the potential difference across the wire is:
[9]

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 The quantity:
[9]
is called the resistance of the conductor.
 Resistance is defined as the ratio of the potential difference across a conductor to the current in the
conductor:

[10]
The SI unit for resistance is volts per ampere. One volt per
ampere is defined as an ohm (𝛀)
 Ohmic materials and devices have a linear current–potential difference relationship over a broad range of
applied potential differences

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Ohmic conductor Non-ohmic conductor

 From equation [9]:

-resistivity [11]

Substit. [11] into [9]:

[12]

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 Worked example: Kirchhoff's laws

2.

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Worked Example: Kirchhoff's laws

the above diagram.

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 Worked Examples
1.

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 Worked examples
2.

Fig.2
Fig 2

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 Worked Examples
4.

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