Chapter 26

CHAPTER 26: Current and Resistance

1. Electric Current
2. Resistance
3. A Model for Electrical Conduction
4. Resistance and Temperature
5. Electrical Power

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 (26.1) The Electric Current
■ An electric current (I) in a conductor is defined as :
The amount of charge that passes in time through hypothetical surface that
cuts through a conductor.

I  q / t

Where
Δq is the amount of charge in the conductor.
Δ t is the time duration of charge in the conductor.

■ The SI unit of the electric current is :Ampere (A);

where: 1 A = 1 C/s.

■ Electric current is measured by a device called the Ammeter and it is

symbol

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(26.1) The Electric Current
Microscopic Model of Current

Consider positive and negative charges of equal magnitude moving

horizontally through the four regions shown in the figure. Rank the current
in these four regions from highest to lowest.

(a) > (b) = (c) > (d)

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(26.1) The Electric Current
Microscopic Model of Current

I  nqvd A

Where
I is the current passing through the conductor
Vd is drift speed of the electrons in a conductor
A is the cross-sectional area.
ΔQ = q is the amount of charge in theconductor.
Δ t is the time duration of charge in the conductor.
n is Avogadro no. per volume (NA/V =no. of electrons per m3).
NA NA
n 
V M
M
ρ The density of a conductor = Mass/Volume V 

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Example – 1 Cancelled
Drift Speed in a Copper Wire
The 12-gauge copper wire in a typical residential building has a cross-sectional
area of 3.31  106 m2. It carries a constant current of 10.0 A. What is the drift
speed of the electrons in the wire? Assume each copper atom contributes one
free electron to the current. The density of copper is 8.92 g/cm3.

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 (26.2) Resistance

A- Current Density

B- Resistors

C- Resistance

D- Resistivity & Conductivity

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A- Current Density (J)

For many materials (including most metals), the ratio of the current density to
the electric field is a constant  that is independent of the electric field
producing the current.

■The current density (J) for a conductor is defined as the ratio of the current (I)
passing through this conductor to the area (A) as:

I
J   nqvd where I = Q/t I  nqvd A
A
■ The current density (J) is related to the electric field (E) by these relations:
E
J E or J
ρ
E A
IJ Aσ E A
1/16/2025 ρ
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B- Resistors

■ The Resistor :
It is a device which resist (or control) the
passage of the current in a conductor or in an
electrical circuit.

■ The symbol of a resistor is:

R  10C2  C1   10C3 

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 C- Resistance

For many materials (including most metals), potential difference ΔV between

plates separated by gap l , the electric field E, the current density J to the
electric field E and conductivity  are all producing Resistance R as follow:

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C- Resistance

■ The resistance R of a conductor (or wire) is defined as “the ratio of a potential

difference (V) between its ends to the current (I) passes through it”:

V
R
I
■ Previous definition is called “Ohm’s Law” .
Ohm’s Law states that:
“The current I through a device is always directly proportional to the potential
difference V applied to the device”.
Where
V is the potential difference across the conductor (or wire),
I is the current passing through this conductor,
R is the resistance of a conductor.

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 This graph shows the relationship between the current (I) and
potential difference (V). The slope results from this graph is the
inverse of the resistance (R).

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 ■ The SI unit of the resistance is the Ohm (Ω) ; where
1Ω = 1volt/A

■The resistance of a conductor is measured by a device

called (Ohmmeter) and its symbol

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D- Resistivity & Conductivity

Resistivity Conductivity
ρ σ
ρ = 1 /σ Ω.m σ = 1 / ρ Ω-1.m-1

Where
σ is the conductivity of material.
ρ is the Resistivity of material.

■ The SI unit of current density is A/m2 .

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E- Ohmic and Non-Ohmic Materials

A cylindrical wire has a radius r and length . If both r and  are

doubled, does the resistance of the wire
(a) increase,
(b) decrease, or
(c) remain the same?

In the figure, as the applied voltage increases, does the

resistance of the diode
(a) increase,
(b) decrease, or
(c) remain the same?

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 Example -2
The radius of 22-gauge Nichrome wire is 0.32 mm.
(A) Calculate the resistance per unit length of this
wire.
(B) If a potential difference of 10 V is maintained
across a 1.0-m length of the Nichrome wire,
what is the current in the wire?
(C) What if the wire were composed of copper
instead of Nichrome? How would the values of
the resistance per unit length and the current
change?

Part-A Part-B
R   1.0  106   m V 10 V
    3.1  /m I   3.2 A
A r   0.32  10 m   R /   3.1  /m 1.0 m 
2 3 2

Part-C
R/l (copper) = ?

I (copper) =?
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 Example – 3
Coaxial cables are used extensively for cable television and other
electronic applications. A coaxial cable consists of two concentric
cylindrical conductors. The region between the conductors is
completely filled with polyethylene plastic as shown in the figure.
Current leakage through the plastic, in the radial direction, is
unwanted. (The cable is designed to conduct current along its
length, but that is not the current being considered here.)
The radius of the inner conductor is a = 0.500 cm, the radius of
the outer
conductor is b = 1.75 cm, and the length is L = 15.0 cm. The
resistivity of the
plastic is 1.0  1013   m.
A- Calculate the radial resistance of the plastic between the
two conductors.
B- Suppose the coaxial cable is enlarged to twice the overall
diameter with two possible choices: (1) the ratio b/a is held fixed,
or (2) the difference b – a is held fixed. For which choice does
the leakage current between the inner and outer conductors
increase when the voltage is applied between them?

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Part-A

Part-B  b
R ln  
2 L  a 

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(26.3) A Model for Electrical Conduction
Drude Model for Electrical Conduction

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(26.4) Resistance and Temperature
■ Resistivity of a conductor varies approximately
linearly with temperature according to this
expression:
  0 1   T  T0  

Where
ρo is the initial resistivity at initial temperature To (°C ),
ρ is the final resistivity at final temperature T (°C ),
α is the temperature coefficient of resistivity and its SI
unit is °C-1 .

When does an incandescent lightbulb carry more

current,
(a) immediately after it is turned on and the glow of
the metal filament is increasing or
(b) after it has been on for a few milliseconds and the
glow is steady?
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 Resistivity of Metals

■ let us have a wire of length L and its cross-sectional area is A and has a
potential difference V between its ends, then the Resistivity ρ of this wire
could be expressed as
  RA / L
Where
R is the resistance of the wire,
A is the cross-sectional area of the wire,
L is the length of the wire,
ρ is the resistivity of the wire.

■ Resistivity ρ of a metal is related to conductivity σ as following:

  1/  or   1/ 
Then conductivity σ can be expressed as
  L / RA

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 ■ Since resistance (R) is proportional to resistivity (ρ), therefore we can
express the variation of resistance with temperature as following:

R  R0 1   T  T0  
R  R o [ 1  α (T  To ) ]
Where
ρo is the initial resistivity at initial temperature To (°C ),
ρ is the final resistivity at final temperature T (°C ),
α is the temperature coefficient of resistivity and its SI unit is °C-1 .

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 Superconductors

What are Superconductors?

Superconductors are materials that conduct electricity
with no resistance. This means that, unlike the more
familiar conductors such as copper or steel, a
superconductor can carry a current indefinitely
without losing any energy

What is Superconductivity?
Superconductivity can only typically be achieved at very cold
temperatures.

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Where are superconductors used?

Uses of Superconductors
1-Efficient Electricity Transportation (Power Cable/Transmission)

2-Magnetic Levitation

3-Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

4-Fast Electronic Switches

5-Synchrotrons and Cyclotrons

(Particle Colliders/Particle Accelerator)

6-Maglev Trains (Current maglev trains are used in Japan and Germany)

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What are the two types of Superconductors?

Type I Superconductors - which totally exclude all applied magnetic fields.

Type II Superconductors - which totally exclude low applied magnetic fields,

but only partially exclude high applied magnetic fields; their diamagnetism
is not perfect but mixed in the presence of high fields.

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(26.5) Electrical Power
■The electric power (P), or rate of energy transfer, in an electric device across
which a potential difference (V) is maintained is :
2
Energy V
P  I V  I2 R 
Time R

Where
I is the current.
R is the resistance.

■ The SI unit of the electric power is the Watt (W); where

1 W = 1 joule/s
U c  Eint  Q  TER
Eint  Q  TET  TER
dU E d dQ
  QV   V  I V
dt dt dt
P  I V
 V 
2

PI R2

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 This graph shows the relationship between the
Power (P) and the Resistance (R ).

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Example - 4
A current of 2.5A passing through a conductor for 5 minutes .what is the net
charge that passes through the cross-sectional conductor in 5 minutes?

Time t  5 min.  5  60  300s.

q
I 
t
Δq  I Δt
 (2.5)(300)
 750C.

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Example - 5
A wire of cross sectional area of 0.1 cm2 has a conductivity of
3x10-8 Ω-1.m-1 . The wire is placed in an electric field of 5.7x104 N/C.
Calculate the current that passes through this wire.

A = 0.1 cm2 = 0.1 x 10-4 m2.

σ =3 x 108 Ω-1.m-1.
E = 5.7 x 104 N/C.
I = ???
I= J A = σ E A
=(5x10-8)(5.7x104)(.1x10-4)
=1.71x10-8 A

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Example - 6
A wire of current 8A has a cross-sectional area of 0.25cm2 and its
conductivity is 0.88x10-6 Ω-1.m-1 . Calculate the following:
•The Resistivity of this wire.
•The current density of this wire .
•The electric field that applied on this wire.

I  8 A,
A  0.25 cm 2  0.25 10  4 m 2
σ  0.88 10-6 Ω 1.m 1
1 1
 ρ  6
 1.14  10 6
Ω.m
σ 0.88 10
I 8
 J   32  10 4
A/m 2

A 0.25 10  4
J 32 10 4
 E  6
 36.4  10 10
N/C
σ 0.88 10
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Example - 7
A wire has a resistance of 50 Ω and its potential difference between its ends is
5 volts. Calculate the current through it.

R  50,
V  5volts,
I ?
V
R 
I
V 5
I    0.1 A
R 50

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Example - 8
A wire carrying a current of 12A has a potential difference of 30 volts
between its ends. Find the resistance of this wire.

I  12 A,
V  30 volts,
R ?
V 30
R   2.5 Ω
I 12

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Example - 9

A wire of length 5m has a resistance of 5Ω and its cross-sectional area is

0.12 cm2. Find its resistivity and its conductivity.

L  5 m,
R  5 Ω,
A  0.12 cm 2  0.12 10 4 m 2 ,
 Resistivity :
R A (5) (0.12 10  4 )
ρ   0.12 10  4 Ω.m
L 5
 Conductivity :
1 1 1 1
σ   8.33  10 4
Ω .m
ρ 0.12 10  4

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Example - 10
A resistance thermometer is made of platinum, which its temperature
coefficient of resistivity is 3.92 x 10-3 C-1, and has a resistance of 50 Ω at 20
°C. When immersed in a vessel containing melting indium, its resistance
increases to 76.8 Ω. Calculate the melting point of the indium.

R o  50 Ω at To  20 o
C
R  76.8 Ω at T  ?? o
C
 R  R o [ 1   (T  To ) ]
R  Ro
 (T  To ) 
α Ro
76.8 - 50

(3.92  10-3 )(50)
 137 o
C
 T  137  20  157 o
C
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Example - 11
A current of 2A passes through a wire that has a resistance of 0.7Ω .
i. Calculate the power.
ii. Calculate the potential difference between its ends.

I  2 A,
R  0.7.

 Power :
P  I 2 R  (2) 2 (0.7)  2.8 watts.

 Potential Difference :
V
R 
I
 V  I R  (2) (0.7)  1.4 volts.

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Example - 12
Power in an Electric Heater
An electric heater is constructed by applying a potential difference of 120V across
a Nichrome wire that has a total resistance of 8.00 W.
A - Find the current carried by the wire and the power rating of the heater.

B - What if the heater were accidentally connected to a 240-V supply?

(That is difficult to do because the shape and orientation of the metal contacts in
240-V plugs are different from those in 120-V plugs).
How would that affect the current carried by the heater and the power rating of
the heater, assuming the resistance remains constant?

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Example – 13
Linking Electricity and Thermodynamics
An immersion heater must increase the temperature of 1.50 kg of water from 10.0°C
to 50.0°C in 10.0 min while operating at 110 V.
(A) What is the required resistance of the heater?
(B) Estimate the cost of heating the water.

Part - A

Part - B

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Example – 14
Which object below has the lowest resistance? All three have length L and
are made out of the same material.
1. #1
2. #2
3. #3
4. Both #1 and #3 have the same, and theirs is less than the resistance
of #2.

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Example – 15

An Ohmic conductor is carrying a current. The cross-sectional area of the wire

changes from one end of the wire to the other. Which of the following quantities
vary along the wire?
i. The resistivity
ii. The current
iii. The current density
iv. The electric field

1.A only
2.B only
3.C only
4.D only
5.A and B only
6.C and D only
7.A, B, C, and D
8.None of the above

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