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CHAPTER # 12
CURRENT ELECTRICITY
1. Why is it not possible to measure the drift speed for electrons by timing their travel
along a conductor?

Ans: It is not possible to measure the drift speed for electrons by timing their travel along a
conductor due to the following reasons:

(1) The drift speed of an electron is directly proportional to the electric current flowing in the
conductor.

(2) The drift velocity of an electron is inversely proportional to the cross-sectional area A of
the wire. Thus, the greater the area of the cross section of the conductor, the smaller the drift
speed.

(3) Similarly, the drift velocity of an electron is inversely proportional to the number of
electrons per unit volume of the conductor. The number of electrons per unit volume varies
from metal to metal and for copper is large ( 1029 ), the drift velocity is rather small. It is less
than 1 mm per second as shown. The expression for drift velocity is given by

I =nAVe ____________(1)

I
V= ______________(2)
nAe

Where e is the charge on an electron, I is the current and n is electrons per unit volume

(4) At higher temperature the amplitude of ions increases and the rate of collision of free
electrons with ions increases. As a result mean free path decreases due to which drift velocity
reduces.

V
2. The relationship R= tells us that the resistance of a conductor is directly
I
proportional to the potential difference applied to it. What do you think of this
proportion?

Ans: From Ohm's Law we know that

V ∝I

V =IR (1)

V
R= (2)
I

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V
The relation R= obtained from Ohm’s Law tells us that the ratio of the potential difference
I
across the ends of a conductor to the electric current flowing through it is constant. Therefore
resistance R is called a proportionality constant. Moreover, the above relation also implies
that at a constant temperature, the resistance of an Ohmic conductor is independent of the
current I and the potential difference V . The value of resistance R depends upon the nature,
dimensions and physical state of a conductor such as the temperature of the conductor.

ρl
R= (3)
A

Where ρ is the resistivity of the conductor.

3. A heavy-duty battery of a truck maintains a current of 3A for 24 hours. How much

Ans: Current = I =3 A , Time = t=24 × 3600 s , Q=?

Q=¿=3 ×24 ×3600=259200C

4. While analyzing a circuit, the internal resistance of emf sources is ignored. Why?

Ans: The opposition offered by the source of emf, such as a battery or electrical generator, to
the flow of electric current is called internal resistance, denoted by r . For example, in the case
of a battery, the electrolyte opposes the flow of electric current through it.

When analyzing a circuit, generally the internal resistance of emf sources is very small and
we ignore it. For a good 12V battery the internal resistance is of the order of 0.01Ω. If this
battery is connected across a 3Ω resistor, then the current through the circuit is:

12 V
I= =4 A — →(1)
3 Ω+0.01 Ω

The terminal voltage is:

V t =E−Ir

V t =12V −4 ×0.01

V t =12−0.04=11.96 V — →(2)

Thus, it is clear that terminal voltage is nearly equal to the emf. Hence the internal resistance
of a cell is generally ignored.

5. Under what circumstances can the terminal P.D of a battery exceed its emf?

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Ans. The terminal potential difference (P.D) of a battery exceeds its emf when the battery is
connected for charging through a battery charger.

When a battery is connected for charging through a charger, it maintains a terminal potential
difference V. In this case reverse current is produced which is necessary to charge the battery.
Therefore, the terminal voltage of the battery is higher than its emf by the amount of the
internal drop (Ir). So mathematically we can write:

V t =E+ Ir — → (1)

E=V t −Ir — → (2)

Thus, in the process of charging the terminal potential difference (PD) exceeds the emf of the
battery by the amount Ir.

6. What is the difference between emf and P.D.

Ans: The differences between emf and potential difference are given below.

emf P.D

1. The voltage across a battery or dry cell 1. The work done per unit positive charge
terminals when it gives no current to the between the two points in an electric field
circuit is called emf. It is the energy against the electric field is known as the
supplied per unit positive charge by the electric potential difference denoted by P.D.
source to move it from the negative to the
positive terminal inside the source.

w W AB
emf = E = ---->(1) P.D = ΔV = ---->(1)
q q

w = qE ---->(2) W AB
V A −V B = ---->(2)
q

2. In normal connection the emf is greater 2. Generally P.D is less than the emf by
than the potential difference by amount Ir. amount Ir.

E = V + Ir ---->(3) V = E - Ir ---->(3)

3. The emf of the source decreases as the 3. The potential difference between the two
source becomes older and older. points at higher and lower potential is

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emf P.D

constant.

4. The emf of a battery is generated by the 4. Potential difference occurs between high
chemical action in the battery. and low potential points.

7. The loop rule is based on the conservation of energy principle and the junction rule
on the conservation of charge principle. Explain how these are based on these
principles?

Ans.

1. Kirchoff's Loop rule: This law is based on the principle of conservation of energy and
states that "In any closed electrical circuit the algebraic sum of all the electromotive force and
the voltage drops in resistors is equal to zero.

∑ E−∑ IR=0 — → (1)

∑ E=∑ IR — → (2)
2
or ∑ I E t=∑ I Rt — →(3)

(a) The left-hand side of this equation gives the total energy supplied by the sources to do
work on the charge.

(b) The right-hand side of equation (3) gives the dissipation of energy when the charges flow
through the resistors. Therefore

Energy lost=Energy gain— →(4)

b. Kirchoff's Junction Rule: This law is based on the conservation of charge and states that
the algebraic sum of all the currents flowing towards a junction is equal to the sum of all the
currents flowing away from the junction.

∑ I =0(1)
i=1

∑ Qt =0
i=1

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n

∑ Q=0¿
i=1

This shows that the net charge at the junction is zero. It means that the electric charge neither
accumulates nor is produced at the junction. Hence for junction:

charge gain=charge loss ¿ (3)

Hence charge is conserved.

8. Why rise in the temperature of a conductor is accompanied by a rise in the resistance.

Ans. The opposition offered by a conductor to the flow of electric current is known as
resistance. The resistance offered by a conductor to the flow of electric current is due to the
collision of free electrons with atoms present in the lattice of the conductor in their way. With
the rise of temperature, these atoms gain energy and vibrate with large amplitude, so their
rate of collision with free electrons increases. As a result, the resistance of the conductor
increases.

If R0 is the resistance of a conductor at 0∘ C then the resistance of the conductor at

Rt −R0 ∝ R 0 t

Rt −R0 =α R0 t ¿

Rt =R0 ( 1+αt )¿

Here α is a constant and is known as the temperature coefficient of resistance.

9. Does the direction of EMF provided by a battery depend on the direction of current
flowing through the battery?

Ans. No, the direction of emf provided by a battery does not depend on the direction of
current flowing through it. Because emf is a scalar quantity and is defined as the work done
on a unit positive charge when it is moved from lower potential to higher potential in a
battery.

W
E mf =
Q

The emf E provided by a battery does not change its direction based on the direction of
current because the emf is a property of the battery itself, determined by the chemical
reaction or process that generates the potential difference between the terminals of the
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battery.
Since the battery has positive terminal at higher potential and a negative terminal at a lower
potential. When a battery of emf E is connected to a circuit, the electronic current in the
circuit flows from the negative terminal to positive terminal while inside the battery, the
current flows by positive ions from negative terminal to the positive terminal. Therefore, we
take conventional current in a circuit which flows from positive to negative terminal in the
circuit. Hence emf of a power source such as battery is independent of the direction of the
current flowing through it.

W
E= 10. Is every emf a potential difference? Is every potential difference an emf?
q

Ans:

 Every emf is a potential difference: Yes, because emf is the energy supplied per unit
charge to move it through the circuit, and thus it is a type of potential difference.

 Not every potential difference is an emf: Potential difference can exist due to other
reasons like a charge difference between two points in a conductor, and not
necessarily due to a source of emf like a battery.

11. How much charge flows in a pocket calculator each minute when the current is
0.0001A?

Ans:

 Current ( I ) = 0.0001A

 Time (t ) = 1 minute = 60 seconds

Charge (Q ) is given by:

Q=I ×t

Q=0.0001 A × 60 s

Q=0.006 C

So, 0.006 Coulombs of charge flow through the pocket calculator each minute.

12. When Wheatstone Bridge is balanced, then no current flows through the
galvanometer, why?

Ans:

 When the Wheatstone Bridge is balanced, the ratio of the resistances in one branch is
equal to the ratio of resistances in the other branch.
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 This means the potential difference across the galvanometer is zero, and hence no
current flows through it.

13. If aluminum and copper wires of the same length have the same resistance, which
has the larger diameter? Why?

Ans:

Aluminum wire will have a larger diameter.

Explanation:

Resistance (R) of a wire is given by the formula:

( ρ∗L )
R=
A

where:

 ρ (rho) is the resistivity of the material (aluminum or copper)

 L is the length of the wire

 A is the cross-sectional area of the wire (π * (d/2)^2, where d is the diameter)

If the lengths of the aluminum and copper wires are the same and they have the same
resistance, then the difference must lie in their resistivity and cross-sectional area.

Resistivity:

 Aluminum has a higher resistivity than copper. This means that aluminum offers more
resistance to the flow of current compared to copper for the same length and cross-
sectional area.

Cross-sectional Area:

 To compensate for the higher resistivity of aluminum and maintain the same
resistance as the copper wire, the aluminum wire must have a larger cross-sectional
area.

Diameter:

 A larger cross-sectional area corresponds to a larger diameter. Therefore, the

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Bravo Academy and Digital Skills Center, Near Rohi Chowk, Sector I-14, Islamabad
Contact Number: +92-317-0674216
Chapter 12 Bravo Academy I-14/3, Islamabad Contact
Number:
KPK TEXTBOOK BOARD Physics-12 (2024-25) +92-317-0674216
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Bravo Academy and Digital Skills Center, Near Rohi Chowk, Sector I-14, Islamabad
Contact Number: +92-317-0674216