Chapter Check · Electric Current, Drift Velocity and Ohm's Law

Question 1Challenge

1. A copper wire (n=8.5×10²⁸ per m³) has cross-sectional area 1×10⁻⁶ m² and carries a current of 3.4 A. Find the drift velocity, then find the time taken for an electron to drift 1 m along the wire (assume the drift velocity stays constant). Use e=1.6×10⁻¹⁹ C.

A v_d=2.5×10⁻⁴ m/s; time≈4000 s (≈66.7 min)B v_d=2.5×10⁻⁴ m/s; time≈400 sC v_d=4×10³ m/s; time≈2.5×10⁻⁴ sD v_d=2.5×10⁻⁴ m/s; time≈40000 s

Question 2Application

2. How many electrons flow past a cross-section per second in a wire carrying exactly 3.2 A? Use e=1.6×10⁻¹⁹ C.

A 6.25×10¹⁸ electrons/sB 3.2×10⁻¹⁹ electrons/sC 2×10¹⁸ electrons/sD 2×10¹⁹ electrons/s

Question 3Application

3. Two wires, X and Y, made of the same metal (same n) carry the same current, but wire X has twice the cross-sectional area of wire Y. Compare their drift velocities.

A Drift velocity in X is half that in YB Drift velocity in X is double that in YC They are equalD Cannot be determined without more information

Question 4Challenge

4. A conductor's resistance is measured to be 6 Ω. As current is increased from 2 A to 10 A, the voltage across it is measured at several points, and the V-I graph turns out to be a PERFECT straight line through the origin throughout this entire range. What can be concluded?

A R must be changing even though the graph looks straightB More data is needed regardless of the straight-line resultC The conductor IS ohmic across this entire current range, with R=6 Ω throughoutD The conductor cannot be ohmic since current varies so much

Question 5Application

5. A resistor's resistance is found to increase noticeably as more current is passed through it, due to self-heating. Strictly speaking, over this range of increasing current, is the resistor's V-I behavior perfectly ohmic?

A Yes, as long as V and I are both positiveB Cannot be determined without knowing the exact resistance valuesC No — R must stay constant for the behavior to be strictly ohmic, and here it's changing due to heatingD Yes, since V=IR can still be computed at each point

Question 6Foundation

6. A conductor draws 3 A at 33 V, and 7 A at 77 V. Verify Ohm's Law and find R.

A Ohmic, R=11 ΩB Non-ohmicC Ohmic, R=7 ΩD Ohmic, R=22 Ω

Question 7Application

7. Inside a battery's external circuit, electrons flow from the negative terminal, through the wire, to the positive terminal. In which direction is conventional current considered to flow through this EXTERNAL circuit?

A From the negative terminal to the positive terminal, matching electron flowB There is no conventional current in this caseC Conventional current only exists inside the batteryD From the positive terminal, through the wire, to the negative terminal

Question 8Challenge

8. A current of 4 A flows in one direction for 90 s, then reverses direction and flows at 3 A for the next 60 s. Taking the original direction as positive, find the NET charge transferred.

A −180 CB 180 CC 540 CD 360 C

Question 9Foundation

9. A wire has n=1×10²⁸ per m³, A=4×10⁻⁶ m², carrying a current of 3.2 A. Find the drift velocity. Use e=1.6×10⁻¹⁹ C.

A 5×10⁻⁵ m/sB 5×10⁻⁴ m/sC 1×10⁻⁴ m/sD 2.5×10⁻⁴ m/s

Question 10Application

10. A single wire carries the same current through a wide section (A=18×10⁻⁶ m²) and a narrow section (A=2×10⁻⁶ m²). Find the ratio v_d(narrow)/v_d(wide).

A 18B 9C 1/9D 4.5

Question 11Foundation

11. A resistor of 13 Ω carries a current of 3 A. Find the voltage across it.

A 16 VB 4.33 VC 10 VD 39 V

Question 12Challenge

12. A wire narrows uniformly from area A₁=12×10⁻⁶ m² to area A₂=3×10⁻⁶ m² over its length, carrying a steady current of 6 A throughout. Find the current density J₂ at the narrow end, and the ratio J₂/J₁.

A J₂=2×10⁶ A/m², ratio J₂/J₁=4B J₂=5×10⁵ A/m², ratio=1C J₂=2×10⁶ A/m², ratio=0.25D J₂=8×10⁶ A/m², ratio=16

Question 13Challenge

13. A wire carries a current that varies with time as I(t)=3t² (in amperes, t in seconds). Find the total charge that flows between t=0 and t=4 s.

A 192 CB 64 CC 48 CD 16 C

Question 14Foundation

14. A charge of 104 C flows through a wire in 8 seconds. Find the current.

A 13 AB 0.077 AC 832 AD 96 A

Question 15Foundation

15. A wire of cross-sectional area 4×10⁻⁶ m² carries a current of 20 A. Find the current density.

A 1×10⁷ A/m²B 5×10⁵ A/m²C 5×10⁶ A/m²D 2.5×10⁶ A/m²

Check the complete chapter.

Concept-band performance

Difficulty performance