Physics for Scientists and Engineers: A Strategic Approach with Modern Physics (3rd Edition)

Published by Pearson
ISBN 10: 0321740904
ISBN 13: 978-0-32174-090-8

Chapter 30 - Current and Resistance - Exercises and Problems - Page 889: 56

Answer

$5.56\times 10^{-6 }\;\rm m/s$

Work Step by Step

The current is the same in both wires according to the current conservation principle. Hence, $$I_1=I_2=I\tag 1$$ where $I_1$ is at the 3-mm diameter wire and $I_2$ is at the 1-mm wire. However, the current density is not the same in both cases. Recalling that the drift speed is given by $$v_d=\dfrac{J}{en_e}$$ where $J=I/A$, $$v_d=\dfrac{I}{Aen_e}$$ So that, $$v_{d1}=\dfrac{I}{A_1en_e}\tag 2$$ and $$v_{d2}=\dfrac{I}{A_2en_e}\tag 3$$ Divide (2) by (3); $$\dfrac{v_{d1}}{v_{d2}}=\dfrac{\dfrac{I}{A_1en_e}}{\dfrac{I}{A_2en_e}}=\dfrac{A_2}{A_1}$$ where $A=\pi r^2=\pi (D/2)^2=\pi D^2/4$ whereas $D$ is the diameter of the wire, $$\dfrac{v_{d1}} {v_{d2}}=\dfrac{\dfrac{\pi D_2^2}{4}}{\dfrac{\pi D_1^2}{4}}=\dfrac{D_2^2}{D_1^2}$$ Thus, $$v_{d1}=\dfrac{D_2^2}{D_1^2}v_{d2}$$ Plug the known; $$v_{d1}=\dfrac{(1)^2}{(3)^2}(0.5\times 10^{-4})$$ $$v_{d1}=\color{red}{\bf 5.56\times 10^{-6}}\;\rm m/s$$
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