Physics II - Spring 2021
Chapter 26: Current and Resistance
The following subjects will be discussed
• Current and Current Density.
• Resistivity and Resistance.
• Resistance Calculations.
• Examples.
• Temperature Analysis and PTRs.
Current in Conductors
Conducting materials have free electrons (loosely attached to atoms).
Conducting materials have available energy levels for conduction (paths for electrons).
The free electrons in conductors are in continuous random motion, supplied by
energy from ambient (𝑣 = 1×10! m/s). But net collective movement is zero.
Definition of Current: ∆𝑞 𝑑𝑞 (C/s)
𝑖= →
Net displacement of charge ∆𝑡 𝑑𝑡 (A: Ampere)
"
in a given time interval. 𝑞 = ( 𝑖 𝑑𝑡
!
Drift velocity 𝑣'
Current Density
Current Current
𝑖 𝑖
𝑖 𝐽= (A/m2)
𝐴
𝑖=( 𝐽⃑ , 𝑑𝐴
Cross-sectional #$%&
Applied field E Area A
Conservation of Charge
The Drift Velocity
The drift velocity is the collective velocity of charge movement (displacement).
Total charge in this volume: Drift velocity
Current 𝑣' Cross-
𝑞 = 𝑛𝑒 𝑉 = 𝑛𝑒 𝐴𝐿 𝑖 sectional
Area
A
Transport time
Length 𝐿
𝑡 = 𝐿/𝑣"
Using the definition of current Applied field E
∆𝑞 𝑛𝑒 𝐴𝐿 𝑖 𝐽
𝑖= = 𝑣" = =
∆𝑡 𝐿/𝑣" 𝑛𝑒𝐴 𝑛𝑒
𝑛: electron density (m-3) Drift velocity How large is this velocity?
𝑒: electron charge (C)
The Drift Velocity
Example: Current in a Copper wire. Drift velocity
Current 𝑣'
Radius R=900 µm. 𝑖 Cross-
sectional
Current 𝑖 = 17 mA Area A
Uniform current density.
One conduction electron/atom. Length 𝐿
#$%&'( )* +,)%-
𝑛= = 8.49×1001 m-3 Applied field E
.)/$%'
2 5.7×59!"
𝑣" = = = 4.9×10=7 m/s
3'4 1.:;×59#$×5.!×59!%&×<× ;99×59!' #
𝑣" =1.7 mm/hr
Then how do machines work so quickly when switched on??
Conservation of Charge
Current in a junction is equal to current out of the junction
𝑖! = 𝑖" + 𝑖#
The Current Density J
Uniform Structures Non-uniform Structures
𝐴( 𝐽( 𝐴) 𝐽) 𝐴* 𝐽*
Uniform current density Non-uniform current density
𝑖=𝐽𝐴 𝑖=5 𝐽⃑ 7 𝑑𝐴
4('+
The Current Density J
Example: Calculate the total current in the following situations.
1) Wire of radius R=2 mm, and uniform current density 𝐽 = 2×10> A/m2.
R
𝑖 = 𝐽 𝐴 = 𝐽 𝜋𝑅 0 = 2×10> ×π× 2×10=? 0
= 2.53 𝐴
R/2
2) The wire in part (1), but between R/2 and R.
0
𝑅0
𝑖 = 𝐽 𝐴 = 𝐽 𝜋(𝑅 − ) = 1.9 𝐴
4
3) The case in part (2), but 𝐽 = 𝑎𝑟 0 , 𝑎 = 3×1055 A/m4.
0< 0<
@ @
𝑖=5 𝐽⃑ 7 𝑑𝐴 = 5 5 𝑎𝑟 0 𝑟 𝑑𝑟 𝑑𝜑 = 𝑎 5 5 𝑟 ? 𝑑𝑟 𝑑𝜑
4('+
@/0 @/0
9 9
0< @
@ 15
𝑟:
𝑖 = 𝑎 5 𝑑𝜑 5 𝑟 ? 𝑑𝑟 = 𝑎 2𝜋 F = 𝜋𝑎 𝑅 : = 7.1 𝐴
@/0 4 32
9 @/0
Resistivity and Resistance
Conducting materials have “open highways” for the movement of free charges.
Current
𝑖=0 No applied field
Smooth surface (No potential difference)
Current
𝑖
Applied
potential difference
r face
Smooth su
− +
Imagine all materials in nature are
conductors!
Resistivity and Resistance
Other materials have “NO open highways” for the movement of free charges.
Current
𝑖=0 No applied field
(No potential difference)
Rough surface
Current
𝑖
Applied
ce potential difference
gh surfa
Rou
− +
Origion of Material Resistivity
Definition of Resistivity
Resistivity is defined from “Conductivity”, which is a property of the material.
For any given material, the conductivity of electrons is defined as,
𝑣" 𝑛 : electron density (m-3)
𝜎 = (𝑛𝑒) 𝑢3 𝜎 = (𝑛𝑒) 𝐽=𝜎𝐸 𝑒 : electron charge (C)
𝐸
𝑢+ : electron mobility (m2 /Vs)
1 𝐸 𝐸
Resistivity is given by 𝜌= = 𝜌= Resistivity
𝜎 (𝑛𝑒) 𝑣" 𝐽
Units
𝑉/𝑚 𝑉
Resistivity of a material Material 𝜌 (𝛺 $ 𝑚) = ,𝑚 =Ω,𝑚
𝐴/𝑚) 𝐴
depends on Silver 1.62×10!"
Copper 1.69×10!"
• Temperature.
Aluminum 2.75×10!"
• Purity.
Silicon 2.5×10# How to measure the
• Orientation. Resistivity of a material?
Glass 10$% − 10$&
• Others.
Quartz 10$"
Definition of Resistance
Resistance, 𝑅, is defined for a given structure made of some material that has some
resistivity 𝜌 and has some dimensions.
Find the formula for
𝑅
resistance:
𝐸 𝑉/𝐿 𝑉 𝐴
𝜌= = =
𝐽 𝐼/𝐴 𝐼 𝐿
𝑉 𝐿 Uniform structures only!
𝑅= =𝜌
𝐼 𝐴 All electrons go the same path!
Uniform
Find R from Find R from
experiment Dimension Non-uniform
Definition of Resistance
Example. Example.
A block of iron ( 𝜌 = 9.68×10=1 𝛺 7 𝑚 ) Compare the resistance of a
with dimensions 1.2 cm × 1.2 cm × 15 cm. glass cylindrical rod of length
Find the resistance between: 10 cm and a cross-sectional area
of 2 × 10-4 m2, with one made
of Aluminum
1.2 cm
𝜌B/+-- = 3×1059 𝛺 7 𝑚
1.2 cm 15 cm
𝜌4/ = 2.82×10=1 𝛺 7 𝑚
1) Left-right sides.
𝐿 0.15 𝑅B/+-- = 1.5×105? 𝛺
𝑅 = 𝜌 = 9.68×10,- = 100 𝜇Ω
𝐴 0.012×0.012
𝑅4/ = 1.41×10=> 𝛺
2) Top-bottom sides.
𝐿 0.012
𝑅= 𝜌 = 9.68×10,- = 0.65 𝜇Ω
𝐴 0.15×0.012
Resistance Calculations
To find the resistance of any given structure, the procedure is as follows.
1) Identify the two surfaces between which the resistance is to be found.
"C
2) Use the equation 𝑑𝑅 = 𝜌 4 as a starting point.
3) Identify the variable where the current is not uniform.
4) Modify the equation accordingly and integrate.
Outer
conductor
Example.
Insulator
Find the resistance between the inner
Inner
and outer conductors of a coaxial cable, conductor
of length D.
𝑑𝐿 𝑑𝑟
𝑑𝑅 = 𝜌 =𝜌
𝐴 2𝜋𝑟𝐷 𝑑𝐿 = 𝑑𝑟
𝜌 . 𝑑𝑟
𝜌 𝑟
𝑅= ( = ln (𝑏/𝑎)
𝐴 = 2𝜋𝑟𝐷
2𝜋𝐷 & 𝑟 2𝜋𝐷
Ohm’s Law
The relationship between the current through a resistor and the potential difference
across it is given by Ohm’s law.
𝑉
𝐼=
𝑅
Applies to linear devices only.
Applies to linear region of R.
Power Calculations in Resistors
Power is delivered to resistors by the energetic electrons from the battery (source).
Power is consumed by the resistor when the electrons lose their energy to scattering.
a to b Battery
Charges gain energy 𝑞𝑉 inside the Current b a
battery
𝐼
b to c 𝑉
Wire Wire
Energetic charges move along wire
with little loss. Load
c Resistor d
c to d
Charges deliver energy to load by
scattering or other processes
(depends on load) 𝑑𝑈 𝑑(𝑞𝑉) Power is rate of
𝑃= = energy consumption
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡
d to a
Charges move along wire back to 𝑉𝑑𝑞
𝑃= 𝑃=𝐼𝑉 Watts
source where they gain energy again. 𝑑𝑡
Power Calculations in Resistors
Power delivered to a resistor R is
Battery
0 𝑉0
𝑃=𝐼𝑉 𝑃=𝐼 𝑅 𝑃=
𝑅 𝐼
𝑉
Example
Find the power rating of a 120-V iron that has a 𝑅
total resistance of 8 Ohms. How much is the Resistor
cost of a 2-hour operation. (65 kuruş/kWhr).
𝑉 ) 120)
𝑃= = = 1.8 kW
𝑅 8
Cost = 1.8 kW × 2 ℎ𝑟×0.65 ₺/𝑘𝑊ℎ𝑟
Cost = 2.34 ₺
Power Calculations in Resistors
Example: Power generation system
The wind produces 1500 hp in the motors. The generator efficiency is 80%. Find the
output current for a 20 kV output voltage. (1 hp = 745.7 Watts)
𝑃 = 1500×745.7×0.8 = 895 𝑘𝑊
895 𝑘𝑊
𝐼= = 44.7 𝐴
20 𝑘𝑉
Q&A
Send me an email if
you have any
questions.
