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Electric Current & Resistivity
Engr. Virgilio B. Dadiz Jr.
ECE, MSEE
Electric Current (I)
Current
- is any motion of
charges from one
region to another.
- is the net charge
flowing through the
area of a conductor
per unit time.
Mathematically
dt
dQ
I =
t
Q
=
where:
I = current, (Ampere)
Q = amount of charge, (C)
t = time, (s)
We define the current, denoted by I, to be in the
direction in which there is a flow of positive
charge conventional current.
Current Density (J)
A steady electric
field is established
inside the conductor
when a potential
difference is applied.
A charged particle
inside the material
moves in the
direction of the field.
Current Density (J)
) t Av ( nq nqvol Q d = =
Suppose that there
are n charged
particles per unit
volume of a
conductor. Then, the
total charge Q
flowing in the
conductor during the
time t is:
And the current
t
t nqAvd
=
t
Q
I =
d nqAv I =
Current Density (J)
The current per unit
cross-sectional area is
called the current
density (J) and is
expressed as:
A
nqAvd
=
A
I
J =
d nqv J =
where:
I electric current, (A)
J current density, (A/m
2
)
n concentration of moving
charged per unit volume, /m
3
A cross-sectional area, m
2
q magnitude of charged, C
v
d
drift velocity, m/s
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Example 1: Current density and drift velocity in a wire
An 18-gauge copper wire (the size usually
used for lamp cords) has a nominal diameter
of 1.02 mm. This wire carries a constant
current of 1.67 A to a 200-watt lamp. The
density of free electrons is 8.5 x 10
28
electrons per cubic meter. Find the
magnitudes of a) the current density and b)
the drift velocity.
Solution:
a) The cross-sectional area is
The magnitude of the current density is
2 7
2 3 2
10 17 . 8
4
) 10 02 . 1 (
4
m
m d
A

= =
t t
2 6
2 7
/ 10 04 . 2
10 17 . 8
67 . 1
m A
m
A
A
I
J =

= =

b) Solving for the drift velocity magnitude v
d
, we find
s mm s m
C m
m A
q n
J
v
d
/ 15 . 0 / 10 5 . 1
| 10 60 . 1 | ) 10 5 . 8 (
/ 10 04 . 2
| |
4
19 3 28
2 6
= =


= =

Resistivity ()
- is defined as the
resistance offered to a
current if passed
between opposite faces
of a sample of material
of unit length and unit
cross section. It is the
ratio of the magnitude of
Electric field (E) and
current density (J).
where:
- resistivity (O.m)
E electric field, (N/C)
J current density, A/m
2
J
E
=
SI units: ohm-meter, Om.
Resistivity Resistivity and Temperature
Over a small temperature range (up to 100C or
so), the resistivity of a metal can be represented
approximately by the equation
where:

T
- resistivity at temperature T.

o
- resistivity at temperature T
o.
o - temperature coefficient /
o
C)
T
o
- initial temperature
o
C
T - final temperature
o
C
)] T T ( 1 [
0 0
T + = o
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Temperature Coefficients of Resistivity Variation of Resistivity with absolute Temperature
Resistance (R)
In a conductor with
resistivity , the
direction of the
current is always
from the higher-
potential end to the
lower-potential end.
Factors influencing the resistance of a conductor
The resistance of a wire is directly proportional
to its length.
The resistance of a wire is inversely
proportional to the area of its cross section.
The resistance of a wire depends upon the
nature of material. (Type of material)
The resistance of a wire depends upon the
temperature.
Resistance (R)
- is directly
proportional to its
length and inversely
proportional to its
cross sectional
area.
|
.
|

\
|
=
A
L
R
where:
R resistance, (O)
- resistivity, (O.m)
L length, (m)
A cross-sectional area, (m
2
)
SI units: ohm, O
Resistance and Temperature
Because the resistivity of a material varies with
temperature, the resistance of a specific conductor
also varies with temperature and this can be
written as
where:
R
T
= Resistance at temperature T.
R
o
= Resistance at temperature T
o.
o= Temperature coefficient (/
o
C)
T
o
= Initial temperature
o
C
T= Final temperature
o
C
)] T T ( 1 [ R R
0 0
T + = o
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Example 2: Electric field, potential difference, and resistance in a wire
The 18-gauge copper wire has a diameter of 1.02
mm and a cross-sectional area A = 8.21 x 10
-7
m
2.
It carries a current I = 1.67 A. Find a) the
electric-field magnitude in the wire; b) the
potential difference between two points in the
wire 50.0 m apart; c) the resistance of a 50.0-m
length of this wire.
SOLUTION
a) From the table, the resistivity of copper is
1.72 x 10
-8
Om. Hence,
b) The potential difference is given by
c) The resistance of a 50.0-m length of this wire is
m V
m
A m
A
I
J E / 0350 . 0
10 20 . 8
) 67 . 1 )( 10 72 . 1 (
2 7
8
=

O
= = =

V m m V EL V 75 . 1 ) 0 . 50 )( / 0350 . 0 ( = = =
O =

O
= =

05 . 1
10 20 . 8
) 0 . 50 )( 10 72 . 1 (
2 7
8
m
m m
A
L
R

Example 3: Temperature dependence of resistance
Suppose the resistance of a copper wire is 1.05
O at a temperature of 20 C and temperature
coefficient of resistivity is o = 0.00393 (C)
-1
.
Find the resistance at 0 C and at 100 C.
SOLUTION
At T = 0 C,
At T = 100 C,
O
O
97 . 0
)] C 20 C 0 )( C 00393 . 0 1 )[( 05 . 1 (
)] T T ( a 1 [ R R
1
0 0
=
+ =
+ =

O
O
38 . 1
)] C 20 C 100 )( C 00393 . 0 1 )[( 05 . 1 ( R
1
=
+ =

Resistance
A circuit device made
to have a specific value
of resistance between
its ends is called a
resistor.
Resistor Color Coding
Color 1st digit 2nd digit Multiplier Tolerance
Black 0 0 1 Silver/Gold
Brown 1 1 10 Silver/Gold
Red 2 2 100 Silver/Gold
Orange 3 3 1000 Silver/Gold
Yellow 4 4 10000 Silver/Gold
Green 5 5 100000 Silver/Gold
Blue 6 6 1000000 Silver/Gold
Violet 7 7 10000000 Silver/Gold
Gray 8 8 100000000 Silver/Gold
White 9 9 1000000000 Silver/Gold
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Example 4
This resistor has a color
bands of red, orange,
green, and gold. Determine
its resistance.
Resistance can be calculated by
R = (First digit * 10 + second digit) * multiplier.
Therefore
R = (Red * 10 + Orange)(Green)
R = (2 * 10 + 3) * 100,000
R = 2,300,000 O 5 %
Note:
Tolerance of gold is + 5 %.
Tolerance of silver is + 10 %
Concept Summary
SUMMARY
Key Equations
KEY EQUATIONS
Exercises:
1. The resistance of the wire at 30
o
C is 12.52
O, and at 45
o
C it is 13.69 O. What is the
resistance at 20
o
C.
2. A Silver wire 1 mm in diameter transfers a
charge of 50 C in 1 hr and 15 minutes. Silver
contains 5.8x10
28
free electrons per cubic
meter. a) What is the current in the wire? b)
What is the magnitude of drift velocity of the
electrons in the wire? (Ans. 0.011 A & 1.5x10
-6
m/s)
Exercises:
3. The potential difference between two points
in a wire 8 m apart is 12 V, when the current
density is 3.4x10
7
A/m
3
. What is the (a) the
electric field in the wire? (b) the resistivity of the
material of which the wire is made. (Ans. 1.5
V/m & 4.41x10
-8
O.m)
4. A certain resistor has a resistance of 1.484 O
at 20
o
C and a resistance of 1.512 O at 34.0
o
C.
What is its temperature coefficient of resistivity.
(Ans. 1.35x10
-3
/
o
C)
Exercises:
5. A current-carrying gold wire has a diameter
0.84mm. The electric field in the wire is 0.49
V/m. What is (a) the current carried by the
wire? (b) the potential difference between two
points in the wire 6.4 m apart? (c) the
resistance of a 6.4 m length of this wire? (Ans.
11 A, 3.1 V & 0.28 O)