SAMPLE PROBLEMS: 112-Topic 4: DIRECT CURRENT, EMF'S & RESISTANCE 1).

A resistance thermometer using a platinum wire is used to measure the temperature of a liquid. The resistance is 2.42 ohms at 0oC, and when immersed in the liquid it is 2.98 ohms. The temperature coefficient of resistivity of platinum is 0.0038 (Co)-1. What is the temperature of the liquid? Solution: We can write the resistivity as: = 0 (1 + T) where 0 is the resistivity value at 0 0 C and is the temperature coefficient of resistivity. Inserting this into the expression for the resistance of a section of wire we have: R(T) = (T) L/A = 0 (1 + T) L/A = R0 L/A where R0 is the resistance at 00C. Thus we have: 2.98 = (2.42) L/A so (T)/0 = (2.98/2.42) = (1 + 0.0038 T) Solving for 'T' gives: 60.9 0C. 2). A 50 cm piece of nichrome wire is used in a home heating element. The cross sectional area of the wire is 0.05 mm2. What is the resistance of the heating element? If it is operated on household current (110 V), how much heat is produced in one minute? ( Nichrome = 100 x 10-8 -m) Solution: The resistance of a section of wire is given by: In our case: Hence: R = L/A

A = .05 mm2 = (.05)(10-3)2 = .05 x 10-6 m2 , and L = 50 cm = .5 m . (100 x 10-8)(.5)/(5 x 10-8) = 10 ohms.

R =

Operated at 110 Volts we would have: I = V ab/R = (110)/(10) = 11 A. The rate of development of heat is given by Joule's Law: P heat = I2 R (or) I Vab = (11)(110) = 1210 Watts (Joules/sec) . Thus, W = P t = (1210 J/sec)(1 min) = (1210 J/sec)(60 sec) = 72600 Joules = 72.6 KJ.

3). The potential difference across the terminals of a battery is 8.5 V when there is a current of 3 amp in the battery from the negative to the positive terminal. When the current is 2 amp in the reverse direction, the potential difference becomes 11 V. (a) What is the internal resistance of the battery? (b) What is the emf of the battery? I E ,r

Solution: The diagram for the first case is shown in fig.1: For this case we will have: Vab = 8.5 = E - I r = E - 3 r

For the 2nd case, see (fig 2), we will have: Vab = 11 = E + Ir = E + 2 r . a

I E ,r

Thus we have 2 algebraic equations in 2 unknowns ( E & r). Solving we find: E = 10 V; r = 0.5 ohms .

4). A closed circuit consists of a 12 V battery, a 3.7 ohm resistor, and a switch. The internal resistance of the battery is 0.3 ohms. The switch is opened. What would an (ideal RV = ) voltmeter read when placed: (a) Across the terminals of the battery? (b) Across the resistor? (c) Across the switch? Repeat (a), (b), & (c) with the switch closed. Solution: We first draw the circuit with the switch open. With the voltmeter placed across the terminals of the battery (as shown), we will have: Vab = E - I r = 12 - I(.3) . What is the current I? Going around the loop containing the voltmeter we would have: E's = IR: 12 = I(Rv + r) V a c I E ,r 3.7 b

where RV is the voltmeter resistance. We are told that the instrument is a 'high-resistance' one. Thus we assume that its effective resistance is infinite. Then if R v = , then I = 0, and V ab above becomes 12 V. Since there is no current in the lower loop (the switch is open), then: V(across resistor) = IR = 0 ; and V(across switch) = Vac = 12 V. We now draw the circuit with the switch closed. We again assume that Rv = so there is no current in the voltmeter loop. Then Vab = E - I r . Adding up emf's & IR's (for the lower loop): E's = 12 = IR's = I(3.7 + 0.3) = 4 I . c V a I E ,r 3.7 b

Thus the current in the lower loop is 3 amps, and: Vab = 12 - 3(0.3) = 11.1 V. V(across R) = I R = (3)(3.7) = 11.1 V; V(across switch) = I R = 0 V.

This can be seen from the figure. With the switch closed points 'a' & 'c' are identical (we assume switch, like the wires, has zero resistance). Thus V(across R) is identically Vac .

5). A storage battery whose emf is 12 V and whose internal resistance is 0.1 ohms is to be charged from a 112 V dc supply. (a) Should the + or - terminal of the battery be connected to the + side of the dc supply? (b) What will be the charging current if the battery is connected directly across this supply? (c) Compute the resistance of the series resistor required to limit the current to 10 amps. With this resistor in the circuit, determine: (d) the potential difference across the terminals of the battery, across the series resistor. Solution: We draw the circuit with the series resistor indicated. For the lst part of the problem we simply set R = 0. Adding up the emf's and IR's around the loop, we have: E's = IR's 112 - 12 = I(.1) . Thus the current would be 1000 amps. Now if R is not zero, then we will have: a E ,r E's = IR's 112 - 12 = I(R + 0.1) .

V I R b

Setting I = 10 amps (the desired current) we solve for R. We find: R = 9.9 ohms. Then: Vab = E + I r = 12 + (10)(.1) = 13 V The potential difference across R is just: V = I R = (10)(9.9) = 99 V. 6). A vacuum diode can be approximated by a plane cathode and a plane anode, parallel to each other and 5 mm apart. The area of both cathode & anode is 2 cm 2 . In the region between cathode and anode the current is carried solely by electrons. If the electron current is 50 mA, and the electrons strike the anode surface with a velocity of 1.2 x 10 7 m/sec, find the density (number of eper cubic mm) in the space just outside the surface of the anode. Solution: The two plates are indicated. Electrons are produced at the cathode and are accelerated upward by the electric field E . Since the field must be downward, Va > Vb . The number of electrons striking the anode per second is given by: nAv where 'n' is the volume density of electrons; A is the cross-sectional area; and v is the velocity of the electrons. Check this dimensionally ( #e-/m3)(m2)(m/sec). To see that this is so, consider the second figure. We have drawn the volume of electrons which would reach the anode in the time 't'. Thus, in one second, the volume of e-'s reaching the anode is just A v.

anode

Va

E e-

e-

e-

Vb

cathode

The current is: I = 50 mA = .05 amps (or coul/sec). Thus #e-/sec = (.05 )/(1.6 x 10-19) = 31.2 x 1016 The density of electrons would then be: v t

ne = (#e-/sec)/A v = (31.2 x 1016)/(2 x 10-4)(1.2 x 107) = 1.3 x 1014 e-'s/m3 Converting m --> mm, we have: ne = 1.3 x 105 e-/mm3 .

Note in this problem we have current conservation so that the electric current anywhere between the plates is 50 mA. The current density, however, is not constant. The electrons are accelerated upward at a constant rate [hence v(t) is linear]. Since J = ne q vd then as the electrons speed up the density at a given height is reduced. 7). A current of 5 amps is maintained through a battery for 30 seconds. In this time 600 J of chemical energy is transformed into electrical energy. (a) What is the emf of the battery? (b) What electrical power was supplied to the circuit external to the battery? Solution: The total charge transferred from the - to the + plate of the battery by the chemical forces present = (5 amp)(30 sec) = 150 amp-sec (coul). The work done by the chemical forces to transfer this charge is 600 J. Thus: W = 600 J = Q E = (150) E E = 4V.

Power is the rate of doing work. Since 600 J of energy are converted in 30 seconds, then the power supplied to the eternal circuit was: P = W/ t = 600/30 = 20 watts.

(Note: we assume that none of the energy was dissipated within the battery. That is, we assume that the battery has a 0 internal resistance.)