Define the drift velocity of electrons in a conductor?

Drift Velocity is the average velocity attained by electrons, the charged particles, in a material due to an electric field. The drift velocity can be calculated using the following formula:

I = nAvQ

where,

  • v is the drift velocity of electrons
  • n is the number of electrons
  • A is the area of cross-section of a conductor
  • Q is the charge of an electron
  • I is the current flowing through the conductor.

Related Questions

  1. What is the relation between drift velocity and electric field?
  2. Two conducting wires X and Y of the same diameter but different materials are joined in series across a battery. If the number density of electrons in X is twice that in Y, find the ratio of the drift velocity of electrons in the two wires.
  3. Give two examples of drift velocity.
  4. Explain the relation between current and drift velocity.
  5. Define relaxation time of the free electrons drifting in a conductor? How is it related to the drift velocity of free electrons? Use this relation to deduce the expression for the electrical resistivity of the material.
  6. It is known that the drift velocity of electrons is only a few mm/s for a current of a few amperes. How is it possible that a current is established almost instantaneously when a circuit is closed? For example, a bulb glows as soon as the connection is switched on. Explain.

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CBSE CLASS XII Related Questions

  • 1.
    Consider the nuclear reaction \( X \to Y + Z \). Let \( M_x \), \( M_y \), and \( M_z \) be the masses of the three nuclei X, Y, and Z respectively. Then which of the following relations hold true?

      • \( (M_x - M_z)<M_y \)
      • \( (M_x - M_y)<M_z \)
      • \( M_x>(M_y + M_z) \)
      • \( M_x<(M_y + M_z) \)

    • 2.
      Capacitors are manufactured with certain standard capacitances and working voltages. However, these standard values may not be the ones that are actually needed in a particular application. Two or more capacitors can be grouped in series or in parallel to achieve desired capacitance and voltage. When connected in series, the total capacitance decreases while the voltage rating increases, whereas in parallel connections, the total capacitance increases and maintains the same voltage rating. A capacitor stores energy in the electric field between its plates and stored energy is proportional to the square of the voltage and capacitance $U = \frac{1}{2}CV^2$, where symbols have their usual meanings.
      Two capacitors, one of $3 \ \mu$F and the other of $6 \ \mu$F, are connected in series in the circuit as shown in the figure, for a long time. }


        • 3.
          Read the following paragraph and answer the questions that follow.
          In an experiment with convex lens of focal length f, the screen is fixed at a distance D from the object. A student slowly moves the lens away from the object towards the screen and finds that she is able to form sharp image of the object for two positions of the lens. The distance between these two positions of the lens is d.


            • 4.
              An astronomical telescope consists of two converging lenses. One of them of large aperture and large focal length is called objective lens and the other one, of smaller focal length and smaller aperture is called the eyepiece. It is used to see distant objects which are not seen clearly with naked eyes. The image formed by the objective lens acts as an object for the eyepiece and the final image produced by the eyepiece is magnified.


                • 5.
                  This ‘average velocity’ is found be few mm/s for currents in range of a few amperes. How then is current established almost the instant a circuit is closed ?


                    • 6.
                      Two air-filled capacitors of capacitances $C_1$ and $C_2$ are connected in parallel with a dc battery. After the capacitors are fully charged, a slab of dielectric constant K is inserted between the plates of each capacitor. How will the (i) charge on each capacitor and (ii) energy stored in the capacitor affected after the slab is introduced.

                        CBSE CLASS XII Previous Year Papers

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