The electric current in a wire can be quantified as the time rate of flow
of net charge.
I = Q
(A
or C/s)
t
Q - electrical charge
t - time
( s)
Example:
How many electrons per second pass through a section of wire
carrying
a current of 0.5 A?
Given : I = 0.5 A
1 coloumb = 6.25 x 10 18 e
t=1s
1A = 1C/s
Required:
Solution:
no. of electrons
I = Q /t
Q = It = 0.5C/s (1 s)
N = 3.13 x 1018 e
= 0.5 C
6.25 x 1018 e
1C
Exercise Problems:
1) How many electrons per second pass through a section
of wire
carrying a current of 1.5 A?
2) Calculate the amount of current produced per second
by
6.28 x 1018 e ?
Voltage
The potential difference between two points is the work done per
unit charge when a charge is moved from one point to the other.
V = W
Q
Example:
A generator accelerates electrons so that they have energies
equivalent to that attained by falling through a potential
difference of 150 megavolts. What is the energy of an electron
that has been accelerated in that machine?
Given: V = 150 megavolts = 1.50 x 10 6 V
Q = 1.60 x 10 -19 C
Required: W
Solution:
V = W/Q
W = V(Q) = (1.50 x 106 V)(1.60 x 10 -19
C)
W = 2.4 x10 -11 Joule
The rate at which the work is done when moving electrons from
point to point is called electric power (P)
Resistance
area
Example:
1) A metal rod is 3 meters long and 10cm in diameter.
Compute its resistance if the resistivity of the metal is 1.76
x 10 -8 -m.
Given : L = 3m
d = 10cm x
1m
= 0.1m
100cm
radius (r) = 0.1m/2 = 0.05m
= 1.76 x 10 -8 -m
Required : R
Solution :
R =L
=
A
1.76 x 10 -8 -m (3m)
(3.14)(0.o5m) 2
R = 6.73 x10 -4
Ohms law
He noted that the resistance (R) did not change with voltage.
where : R -
resistance
I
electric current
V =IR
voltage
V -
Example:
Determine the potential difference between the ends
of the wire
of resistance 8 if 600C pass through it per minute.
Given : R = 8
charge (Q) = 600 C
t = min = 60 s
Required: V
Solution :
I = Q
= 600 C
= 10 A
t
60 s
V = I R = (10 A)(8 )
V = 80 V
The rate at which work is done, that is, the rate at which
electrical energy in converted into another form, such as
heat( flat iron), light (fluorescent bulb) and mechanical
therefore
P =
IV
replacing I = V/R
P = V2
R
Conversion factors
1 watt =
1kW =
1 hp =
1 kWh
0.738 ft lb
Example:
1)
An air conditioner takes 4A from a 220 V line. Determine the
power input (J) and the energy supplied to the air conditioner
in 3 hours.
Given : I = 4 A
Required: a) P
V = 220 V
b) E
t = 3 hours.
Solution:
a) P = I V = (4A)(22oV)
= 880 watts
Given: I = 25A
P = 1W
L = 1m
= 1.68 x 10 -8 ohm meter
Required: diameter of the wire
Solution :
P = IV
V = P/I = 1 W
25 A
= 0.04 Volt
R = V/ I
R = L =
r2 = L
= 3.35 x 10-6 m2
R
L =
A
=
( 1.68 x 10 -8 ohm meter)( 1 m)
(3.14)(0.0016 ohms)
r = 1.83 x10 3 m
diameter = 2r = 2(1.83 x10 3 m )
diameter = 3.66 x 10-3 m
Seat work
1) A human nerve cell can be considered as a long, thin cylinder
of radius
5 x 10 -6m and length 0.3 m. The resistivity of the fluid inside
the cell is
o.5 - meter. Calculate the resistance of this fluid.
2) The resistivity of an aluminum is 2.8 x 10 -8 meter. How
long should a piece of aluminum wire 2cm in diameter be to
give a resistance of
5 ?
3) A current of 8A exists in a line of 12 resistance. Compute
for the rate of production of heat in watts.
4) An electric broiler develops 300 cal/s when the current is 6A.
Determine the resistance of the broiler. ( 1watt = 0.239 cal/s)