Neelabh Gupta

Kota

CURRENT ELECTRICITY
Class 12 - Physics
Time Allowed: 1 hour Maximum Marks: 121

Section A
1. A hot electric iron has a resistance of 80 Ω and is used on a 200 V source. The electrical energy spent, if it is [1]
used for 2 h, will be:

a) 800 Wh b) 1000 Wh

c) 2000 Wh d) 8000 Wh

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2. Two wires P and Q made up of different materials have same resistance at room temperature, when heated, [1]

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resistance of P increases and that of Q decreases. We conclude that:

a) P and Q both are conductors but because of b) P is conductor and Q is semiconductor

being made of different materials it happens hy
so

c) P is n-type semiconductor and Q is P-type d) P is semiconductor and Q is conductor

hP
semiconductor
3. Which of the following relation is called as current density? [1]
3

a) I
b) I
b

2
A
A

c) d)
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I A

A I

4. Power is represented by- [1]

a) newton b) watt
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c) newton sec d) joule

5. In India, electricity is supplied for domestic use at 220 V. It is supplied at 110 V in the U.S.A. If the resistance of [1]
a 60 W bulb for use in India is R, the resistance of a 60 W bulb for use in the U.S.A. will be:

a) 2R b) R

c) R d)
R

6. A Wheatstone bridge is balanced for four resistors R1, R2, R3 and R4 with a Lechlanche cell between A and C [1]
and a galvanometer between B and D. The positions of the cell and the galvanometer are interchanged. The
balance will

a) Change and can be obtained by changing R1 b) decrease by about 9%

c) Change and can be obtained by changing R4 d) Not change

7. Identify the incorrect statement regarding a superconducting wire. [1]

a) It exhibits zero electrical resistivity and b) Transport current flows through the entire

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 expels applied magnetic field. area of cross-section of the wire.

c) Transport current flows through its surface. d) It is used to produce large magnetic field.
8. An antimony-bismuth thermocouple is shown in the figure, where A is the cold junction and B is the hot [1]
junction:

a) current can flow in any direction b) current will not flow at all

c) current will flow from B to A via G d) current flows from A to B via G

9. What length of the wire (specific resistance 48 × 10-8 Ω m) is needed to make the resistance of 4.2 Ω ? [1]

(Diameter = 0.4 mm)

a) 1.1 m b) 2.1 m

s
sic
c) 3.1 m d) 4.1 m

10. Thermo emf ε (in volts) of a certain thermocouple is found to vary with θ (in oC) according to equation E = 20θ [1]
2

- θ

20
, where θ is the temperature of the hot function, the cold function being kept at 0° C. Then, the neutral
hy
temperature of the thermocouple is:

a) 100°C b) 340°C
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c) 200°C d) 300°C
11. Electric field (E) and current density (j) have a relation: [1]
b

a) E2 ∝ 1 b) E ∝ 1

2
j j
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c) E ∝ j d) E ∝ j-1

12. One kilowatt-hour is equal to: [1]

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a) 36 × 105 J b) 36 × 10-5 J

c) 36 × 103 J d) 36 × 10-3 J

13. Resistances of 1 Ω , 2 Ω and 3 Ω are connected to form a triangle. If a 1.5 V cell of negligible internal resistance [1]
is connected across the 3 Ω resistor, the current flowing through this resistor will be:

a) 1.0 A b) 1.5 A

c) 0.5 A d) 0.25 A
14. Across a metallic conductor of non-uniform cross-section, a constant potential difference is applied. The [1]
quantity which remains constant along the conductor is:

a) current b) electric field

c) drift velocity d) current density

15. Amount of charge in coulomb required to deposit one gram equivalent of substance by electrolysis is [1]

a) 4.8 × 10 −4
C b) 96500 C

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 c) 6500 C d) 9.6 × 10
4
C
16. The ratio of voltage and electrical current in a closed circuit: [1]

a) Decreases b) Increases

c) Varies d) Remains constant

17. When three identical bulbs of 60-200 volt rating are connected in series to a 200 volt supply, the power drawn by [1]
them will be:

a) 60 watt b) 10 watt

c) 20 watt d) 180 watt

18. Nichrome or manganin is widely used in wire-bound standard resistors because of their: [1]

a) very weakly temperature-dependent b) temperature independent resistivity

resistivity

c) mechanical strength d) strong dependence of resistivity with

s
temperature

sic
19. A battery consists of a variable number n of identical cells (having internal resistance r each) which are [1]
connected in series. The terminals of the battery are short-circuited and the current I is measured. Which of the
graphs shows the correct relationship between I and n? hy
a) b)
hP

c) d)
b
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20. A cell of emf 1.5 V and internal resistance 2 Ω is connected to two resistors of 5 Ω and 8 Ω in series. The [1]
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potential difference across the 5 Ω resistor will be:

a) 0.33 V b) 0.5 V

c) 1 V d) 3.3 V
21. Assertion (A): A current flows in a conductor only when there is an electric field within the conductor. [1]
Reason (R): The drift velocity of electrons in presence of electric field decreases.

a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct b) Both A and R are true but R is not the
explanation of A. correct explanation of A.

c) A is true but R is false. d) A is false but R is true.

22. Fill in the blanks: [1]
(i) The rate of increase of thermo emf with temperature at the neutral temperature of a thermocouple is [1]
________.

23. An electron moves in a circular orbit of radius 10 cm with a constant speed of 4.0 × 106 ms-1. Determine the [1]

electric current at a point on the orbit.

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24. A negligibly small current is passed through a wire of length 15 m and uniform cross section 6.0 × 10 −7
m
2
, [1]
and its resistance is measured to be 5.0Ω . What is the resistivity of the material at the temperature of the
experiment?
25. A silver wire has a resistance of 2.1Ω at 27.5°C and a resistance of 2.7Ω at 100°C. Determine the temperature [1]
co-efficient of resistivity of silver.
26. A motor operating on 120 V draws a current of 2 A. If the heat is developed in the motor at the rate of 9 cal s-1, [1]

what is its efficiency?

27. Two heating coils, one of fine wire and the other of thick wire, made of same material and of the same length are [1]
connected in turn to a source of emf. Which of the coils will produce more heat?
28. A current is passed through a steel wire heating it to red hot. Half of the wire is immersed in cold water. Which [1]
half of the wire will heat up more and why?
29. State Ohm's law. [1]
30. Define an emf of one volt. [1]
31. How is current kept continuous inside a conductor? [1]

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32. For the flow of electricity through gases, they should be better exposed to some high-energy radiations like X- [1]

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rays. Why?
33. Why is a slide wire bridge or metre bridge named so? [1]
Section B
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34. In the given circuit, with a steady current, calculate the potential difference across the capacitor and the charge [2]
stored in it.
b hP
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35. Define the electrical resistivity of a material. How it is related to electrical conductivity? Of the factors, length, [2]
area of cross-section, nature of material and temperature which ones control the resistivity value of conductor?
36. When 10 cells in series are connected to the ends of resistance of 590, the current is found to be 0.25 A, but [2]
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when the same cells after being connected in parallel are joined to the ends of a 0.05 Ω , the current is 25 A.
Calculate the internal resistance and emf of each cell.
37. Plot a graph showing the temperature dependence of resistivity for a typical semiconductor. How is this [2]
behaviour explained?
38. A 60 W electric bulb connected in parallel with a room heater is further connected across the mains. If 60 W [2]
bulb is replaced by 100 W bulb, will the heat produced by the heater be smaller, remain the same or be larger
and why?
39. Is current density a vector or a scalar quantity? Deduce the relation between current density and potential [2]
difference across a current-carrying conductor of length l, area of cross-section A, and number density of free
electrons n. How does the current density, in a conductor, vary with
i. increase in potential gradient?
ii. increase in temperature?
iii. increase in length?
iv. increase in area of cross-section?

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 (Assume that the other factors remain constant in each case).
40. A copper electric kettle weighing 1000 g contains 900 g of water at 20° C. It takes 12 minutes to raise the [2]
temperature to 100°C. If electric energy is supplied at 210 V, calculate the strength of the current, assuming that
10% heat is wasted. The specific heat of copper is 0.1.

41. The amount of charge passing through the crosssection of a wire is q(t) = at2 + bt + c [2]

i. Write the dimensional formulae for a, b and c.

ii. If the values of a, b, and c in SI units are 5, 3 and 1
respectively, find the value of current at t = 5 seconds.
42. A potential difference V is applied to a conductor of length l, diameter D. How are the electric field E, the drift [2]
velocity vd and the resistance R affected when

i. V is doubled
ii. l is doubled
iii. D is doubled?
Section C

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43. In a Wheatstone bridge, P = 1 Ω , Q = 2 Ω , R = 2 Ω , S = 3 Ω and Rg = 4 Ω . Find the current through the [3]

galvanometer in the unbalanced position of the bridge, when a battery of 2V and internal resistance 2 Ω is used.
44.
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A current of 30 amperes is flowing through a wire of cross-sectional area 2 mm2. Calculate the drift velocity of
electrons. Assuming the temperature of the wire to be 27°C, also calculate the rms velocity at this temperature.
[3]
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Which velocity is larger? Given that Boltzman's constant = 1.38 × 10-23JK-1, density of copper 8.9 g cm-3, the
atomic mass of copper = 63.
45. A room has AC run for 5 hours a day at a voltage of 220V. The wiring of the room consists of Cu of 1 mm [3]
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radius and a length of 10 m. Power consumption per day is 10 commercial units. What fraction of it goes in the
joule heating in wires? What would happen if the wiring is made of aluminium of the same dimensions?
−8 −8
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[ρcu = 1.7 × 10 , ρAl = 2.7 × 10 Ωm]

Ωm

46. There are two electric bulbs rated 60 W, 110 V and 100 W, 110 V. They are connected in series with a 220 V d.c. [3]
supply. Will any bulb fuse? What will happen if they are connected in parallel with the same supply?
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47. Prove that the current density of a metallic conductor is directly proportional to the drift speed of electrons. [3]
48. A cell of emf 'E' and internal resistance 'r' is connected across a variable load resistor R. Draw the plots of the [3]
terminal voltage V versus (i) R and (ii) the current I.
It is found that when R = 4 Ω , the current is 1 A when R is increased to 9 Ω , the current reduces to 0.5 A. Find
the values of the emf E and internal resistance r.
Section D
49. Read the source given below and answer any four out of the following questions: [4]
The rate of flow of charge through any cross-section of a wire is called electric current flowing through it.
q
Electric current (I) = . Its SI unit is ampere (A). The conventional direction of electric current is the direction
t

of motion of positive charge. The current is the same for all cross-sections of a conductor of the non-uniform
cross-section. Resistance is a measure of the opposition to current flow in an electrical circuit.

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 i. An example of non-ohmic resistance is:
a. tungsten wire
b. carbon resistance
c. diode
d. copper wire
ii. Current is:
a. scalar quantity

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b. vector quantity

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c. both scalar and vector quantity
d. none of the above
iii. In a current-carrying conductor, the net charge is: hy
a. 1.6 × 10–19 coulomb
b. 6.25 × 10–18 coulomb
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c. zero
d. infinite
iv. The current which is assumed to be flowing in a circuit from the positive terminal to negative is called:
b

a. direct current
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b. pulsating current
c. conventional current
d. none of these
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v. A current passes through a wire of non-uniform cross-section. Which of the following quantities are
independent of the cross-section?
a. The charge crossing
b. drift velocity
c. current density
d. free electron density
50. Read the source given below and answer any four out of the following questions: [4]
Emf of a cell is the maximum potential difference between two electrodes of the cell when no current is drawn
from the cell. Internal resistance is the resistance offered by the electrolyte of a cell when the electric current
flows through it. The internal resistance of a cell depends upon the following factors; (i) distance between the
electrodes (ii) nature and temperature of the electrolyte (iii) nature of electrodes (iv) area of electrodes.

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 For a freshly prepared cell, the value of internal resistance is generally low and goes on increasing as the cell is
put to more and more use. The potential difference between the two electrodes of a cell in a closed circuit is
called terminal potential difference and its value is always less than the emf of the cell in a closed circuit. It can
be written as V = ε − Ir .
i. The terminal potential difference of two electrodes of a cell is equal to emf of the cell when
a. I ≠ 0
b. I = 0
c. both I ≠ 0 and I = 0
d. neither I ≠ 0 and I = 0
ii. A cell of emf ε and internal resistance r gives a current of 0.5 A with an external resistance of 12Ω and a

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current of 0.25 A with an external resistance of 25Ω . What is the value of internal resistance of the cell?
a. 5 Ω
b. 1 Ω
c. 7 Ω
d. 3 Ω
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iii. Choose the wrong statement.
a. Potential difference across the terminals of a cell in a closed circuit is always less than its emf.
b. Internal resistance of a cell decrease with the decrease in temperature of the electrolyte.
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c. Potential difference versus current graph for a cell is a straight line with a -ve slope.
d. Terminal potential difference of the cell when it is being charged is given as V = ε + Ir.
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iv. An external resistance R is connected to a cell of internal resistance r, the maximum current flows in the
external resistance, when
i. R = r
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ii. R < r
iii. R > r
iv. R = 1

v. IF external resistance connected to a cell has been increased to 5 times, the potential difference across the
terminals of the cell increases from 10 V to 30 V. Then, the emf of the cell is
a. 30 V
b. 60 V
c. 50 V
d. 40 V
51. Read the source given below and answer any four out of the following questions: [4]

The resistance of a conductor at temperature to C is given by R1 = R0(1 + α t) where Rt is the resistance at to C,

R0 is the resistance at 0o C and α is the characteristics constants of the material of the conductor. Over a limited

range of temperatures, that is not too large. The resistivity of a metallic conductor is approximately given by

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 ρt = ρ0 (1 + αt)

where α is the temperature coefficient of resistivity. Its unit is K-1 or oC-1.

For metals, α is positive i.e., resistance increases with rise in temperature.
For insulators and semiconductors, α is negative i.e., resistance decreases with rise in temperature.

i. Fractional increase in resistivity per unit increase in temperature is defined as

a. resistivity
b. temperature coefficient of resistivity
c. conductivity
d. drift velocity
ii. The material whose resistivity is insensitive to temperature is

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a. silicon
b. copper
c. silver
d. nichrome
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iii. The temperature coefficient of the resistance of a wire is 0.00125 per oC. At 300 K its resistance is 1 ohm.
The resistance of wire will be 2 ohms at
a. 1154 K
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b. 1100 K
c. 1400 K
d. 1127 K
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iv. The temperature coefficient of resistance of an alloy used for making resistors is
a. small and positive
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b. small and negative

c. large and positive
d. large and negative
v. For a metallic wire, the ratio (V = applied potential difference and I = current flowing) is
V

a. independent of temperature
b. increases as the temperature rises
c. decreases as the temperature rises
d. increases or decreases as temperature rises depending upon the metal
Section E
52. Read the text carefully and answer the questions: [5]
The flow of charge in a particular direction constitutes the electric current. Current is measured in Ampere.
Quantitatively, electric current in a conductor across an area held perpendicular to the direction of flow of charge
is defined as the amount of charge is flowing across that area per unit time. Current density at a point in a
conductor is the ratio of the current at that point in the conductor to the area of cross-section of the conductor of
that point. The given figure shows a steady current flows in a metallic conductor of a nonuniform cross-section.

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 Current density depends inversely on area, so, here J1 > J2, as A1 < A2.

(i) What is the current flowing through a conductor, if one million electrons are crossing in one millisecond
through a cross-section of it?

a) 7.5 × 10-10 A b) 8.2 × 10-10 A

c) 1.6 × 10-10 A d) 2.5 × 10-10 A

(ii) SI unit of electric current is

a) Cs-1 b) C-1s-1

c) Cs d) Ns-2

(iii) A steady current flows in a metallic conductor of the non-uniform cross-section. Which of these quantities

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is constant along the conductor?

a) Electric field b) Current density

(iv)
c) Current
ys d) Drift velocity
A constant current I is flowing along the length of a conductor of variable cross-section as shown in the
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figure. The quantity which does not depend upon the area of cross-section is
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a) drift velocity b) current density

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c) electron density d) electric field

(v) When a current of 40 A flows through a conductor of area 10 m2, then the current density is
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a) 1 A/m2 b) 4 A/m2

c) 2 A/m2 d) 8 A/m2

53. Read the text carefully and answer the questions: [5]
Whenever an electric current is passed through a conductor, it becomes hot after some time. The phenomenon of
the production of heat in a resistor by the flow of an electric current through it is called heating effect of current
or Joule heating. Thus, the electrical energy supplied by the source of emf is converted into heat. In purely
resistive circuit, the energy expended by the source entirely appears as heat. But if the circuit has an active
element like a motor, then a part of the energy supplied by the source goes to do useful work and the rest appears
as heat. Joule's law of heating form the basis of various electrical appliances such as electric bulb, electric
furnace, electric press etc.

(i) Which of the following is a correct statement?

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 a) Heat produced in a conductor is b) Heat produced in a conductor varies
independent of the current flowing. directly as the square of the current
flowing.

c) Heat produced in a conductor varies d) Heat produced in a conductor varies

inversely as the square of the current inversely as the current flowing.
flowing.
(ii) If the coil of a heater is cut to half, what would happen to heat produced?

a) Remains same b) Halved

c) Remains same d) Doubled

(iii) A 25 W and 100W are joined in series and connected to the mains. Which bulbs will glow brighter?

a) none will glow brighter b) both bulbs will glow brighter

c) 100 W d) 25 W

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(iv) A rigid container with thermally insulated wall contains a coil of resistance 100 Ω , carrying current 1A.
Change in its internal energy after 5 min will be

a) 20 kJ b) 0 kJ

(v)
c) 10 kJ
The heat emitted by a bulb of 100 W in 1 min is
ys d) 30 kJ
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a) 600 J b) 6000 J

c) 1000 J d) 100 J
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54. i. Derive the relation between current density J and potential difference V across a current carrying conductor [5]
of length l, area of cross-section A and the number density n of free electrons.
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ii. Estimate the average drift speed of conduction electrons in a copper wire of cross-sectional area 1.0 × 10-7
m2 carrying a current of 1.5 A. [Assume that the number density of conduction electrons is 9 × 1028 m-3]
55. A cell of emf ε and internal resistance r is connected to two external resistances R1 and R2 (R2 > R1) and a [5]
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perfect ammeter. The current in the circuit is measured in four different situations:
i. Without any external resistance in the circuit
ii. With resistance R1 only
iii. With resistance R2 only
iv. With both R1 and R2 used in series combination, and

v. With R1 and R2, used in parallel combination.

The currents measured in the four cases are 0.42 A, 0.6 A, 1.05 A, 1.4 A, and 4.2 A but not necessarily in that
order. Identify the currents corresponding to the four cases mentioned above.
56. i. Define the term conductivity of a metallic wire. Write its SI unit. [5]
ii. Using the concept of free electrons in a conductor, derive the expression for the conductivity of wire in terms
of number density and relaxation time. Hence obtain the relation between current density and the applied
electric field E.
57. Two cells of emfs 1.5 V and 2 V and internal resistances 2 Ω and 1 Ω respectively have their negative terminals [5]

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 joined by a wire of 6 Ω and positive terminals by a wire of 4 Ω resistance. A third resistance wire of 8 Ω
connects the middle points of these wires. Draw the circuit diagram. Using Kirchhoff laws, find the potential
difference at the end of this third wire.
58. a. State the working principle of a meter bridge used to measure an unknown resistance. [5]
b. Give reason:
i. Why the connections between the resistors in a metre bridge are made of thick copper strips?
ii. Why is it generally preferred to obtain the balance length near the mid-point of the bridge wire?
c. Calculate the potential difference across the 4Ω resistor in the given electrical circuit using Kirchoff's rules.

59. Determine the currents through the resistors R1, R2 and R3 shown in Figure. [5]

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