Derive I = nAVe

Over 1 second, electrons with drift velocity V travel through a wire of  cross sectional area A. Distance Vt (t = 1) multiplied by area A gives a volume AV. This volume multiplied by the electron density of the material n, gives the number of electrons in volume V, nAV. The charge in the volume of material is found by multiplying the number of electrons by the elementary charge e, nAVe. This is the amount of charge passing through the wire every second, or current I. Therefore, I = nAVe

DD

Related Physics A Level answers

All answers ▸

Electrons moving in a beam have the same de Broglie wavelength as protons in a separate beam moving at a speed of 2.8 × 10^4 m/s . What is the speed of the electrons?


What are the main differences between magnetic and electric fields?


A trolley of mass 0.75kg is running along a frictionless track at a constant speed of 0.7ms-1, as the trolley passes below a mass of 0.5kg the mass drops a short vertical distance onto the trolley. Calculate the new velocity of the trolley and mass.


Draw the electric field lines produced by a negative point charge and calculate the electric field strength at a distance of 50mm from a point charge of size -30nC.