Electric current is the flow of electric charge in a conductor.
The direction of electric current is conventionally taken as the direction of flow of positive charges.
However, since electrons are negatively charged, the actual direction of current is opposite to the direction of flow of electrons.
In an electric circuit, the current flows from the positive terminal of the battery towards the negative terminal.
The quantity of electric charge flowing through a particular point in a conductor per unit time is called electric current.
Example:
Consider a circuit where electrons are flowing from left to right. The conventional direction of current will be from right to left.
Similarly, if the current flows from top to bottom, the conventional direction of current will be from bottom to top.
Current density is the amount of current flowing through a unit cross-sectional area of a conductor.
It is denoted by the symbol J and is given by the formula J = I/A, where I is the current and A is the cross-sectional area.
The SI unit of current density is Ampere per square meter (A/m^2).
Current density can be used to study the distribution of current within a conductor.
In a uniform conductor, the current density is constant throughout the conductor.
Example:
Ohm’s law states that the current flowing through a conductor is directly proportional to the potential difference applied across it, provided the physical conditions of the conductor remain constant.
Mathematically, Ohm’s law can be expressed as I = V/R, where I is the current, V is the potential difference, and R is the resistance.
The SI unit of resistance is Ohm (Ω).
Ohm’s law is valid for a conductor as long as the temperature, length, and material of the conductor remain constant.
Ohm’s law is named after the German physicist Georg Simon Ohm who first formulated it.
Example:
Electric power is the rate at which electrical energy is converted into other forms of energy in an electric circuit.
It is denoted by the symbol P and is given by the formula P = IV, where P is power, I is the current, and V is the potential difference.
The SI unit of electric power is Watt (W).
Electric power can be calculated using Ohm’s law: P = V^2/R or P = I^2R.
Electric power is the product of current and potential difference.
Example:
Resistance is the property of a material that hinders the flow of electric current.
It is denoted by the symbol R and is measured in Ohms (Ω).
Resistance depends on the physical characteristics of a conductor such as length, cross-sectional area, and resistivity.
Materials with high resistivity have high resistance, while materials with low resistivity have low resistance.
Resistance can be calculated using Ohm’s law: R = V/I or R = ρL/A, where V is the potential difference, I is the current, ρ is the resistivity, L is the length, and A is the cross-sectional area.
Example:
Resistivity is the intrinsic property of a material that determines the resistance of a conductor of that material.
It is denoted by the symbol ρ (rho) and is measured in Ohm-meter (Ω.m).
Resistivity depends on the type of material, temperature, and impurities present in the material.
Materials with high resistivity have high resistance and vice versa.
Resistivity can be used to compare the conductive properties of different materials.
Example:
Superconductivity is a phenomenon where certain materials exhibit zero electrical resistance below a critical temperature.
Superconductors have the ability to conduct electric currents without any loss of energy.
Superconductivity was first discovered by Heike Kamerlingh Onnes in 1911.
Superconducting materials find applications in various fields such as power transmission, magnetic levitation, and medical imaging.
The critical temperature, below which a material becomes superconducting, varies for different materials.
Example:
Conductors are materials that allow the flow of electric current through them easily.
Insulators are materials that do not allow the flow of electric current through them easily.
Conductors have low resistance, while insulators have high resistance.
Examples of conductors include metals such as copper and aluminum.
Examples of insulators include rubber, glass, and plastic.
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Some common superconducting materials include niobium-titanium, niobium-tin, and yttrium-barium-copper-oxide. Electric Current And Current Density - Direction of Current
Electric current is the flow of electric charge in a conductor.
The direction of electric current is conventionally taken as the direction of flow of positive charges.
However, since electrons are negatively charged, the actual direction of current is opposite to the direction of flow of electrons.
In an electric circuit, the current flows from the positive terminal of the battery towards the negative terminal.
The quantity of electric charge flowing through a particular point in a conductor per unit time is called electric current. Example:
Consider a circuit where electrons are flowing from left to right. The conventional direction of current will be from right to left.
Similarly, if the current flows from top to bottom, the conventional direction of current will be from bottom to top.
Electric Current And Current Density - Definition of Current Density
Electric Current And Current Density - Ohm’s Law
Electric Current And Current Density - Electric Power
Electric Current And Current Density - Resistance
Electric Current And Current Density - Resistivity
Electric Current And Current Density - Superconductivity
Electric Current And Current Density - Comparison of Conductors and Insulators