CURRENT ELCTRICITY

Topics:

- Electric Potential
- Potential difference
- Capacitors
- Ohm’s law
- Electrical power and energy
- Kirchhoff’s law

Electric Potential

Electric potential (V) at a point a distance r from a positive charge Q is the

work done in moving a unit positive charge from infinite distance to the
point.

Its mathematical expression is

1 Q
V=
4π Eo r

If r is infinitely large, V goes to zero

Potential Difference

The potential difference between two points in an electric circuit is defined as

the amount of work done in moving a unit charge from one point to the other
point.

Work done
That is potential difference =
Quantity of ch arg e moved

W
V= where W = work done
Q
Q = quantity of charged moved

1 joule
Unit of V 1 volt =
coulomb
 1J
1V = ⇒ V = JC −1
1C

Thus potential difference is measured by means of an instrument called

voltmeter.

Capacitors

“Capacitor is a device which is used to store large quantity of charge.”

The combinations of the conductors of any shape held near to each other
which carrying equal and opposite charges. These conductors are called
plates of the capacitor. Between the two plates of capacitor either air or any
insulating medium (wax, oil, glass etc) is kept. These substances are called di-
electric.

Capacity of capacitor or Capacitance =

Magnitudeof ch arg eof either plate

Magnitudeof Potential Difference

Q
C=
V1 − V2
Parallel plate capacitor

Fig A shows the parallel plate capacitor. Two plane plates each of area A, are
separated by a small distance d. The capacitance of this capacitor is

Eo Er A Eo KA
C= or C= … (1)
d d
If the medium present between the plates is vacuum then Er = 1 or K = 1

Eo A
C= … (2)
d
Fig A. Parallel Plate Capacitor

So that a dielectric filled parallel plate capacitor has a capacitance K times

larger than the same capacitors with vacuum between its plates.
ur
Unit of C

E0 Er A
S.I C= farad
d

When A is taken in cm 2 and d in meter

Er A
CGS C= stat farad
4π d
Where A is taken in cm2 and d in cm.

Combination of Capacitors

In most of the experiments, we required a definite value of capacitors which

can be obtained by mutual combination of capacitors. These are

1. Series combination
2. Parallel combination
Series Combination

q = q1 = q2 = q3
V = V1 + V2 + V3
1 1 1 1
= + +
Ceq C1 C2 C3

Parallel Combination
q = q1 + q2 + q3
V = V1 = V2 = V3
Ceq = C1 + C2 + C3

Electric Current

The electric current is a flow of electric charges C called electrons in a

conductor such as a metal wire. This electric charges flow due to potential
difference between the end of the wire.

If a charge Q coulombs flow through a conductor in time t second. Then

magnitude of the electric current is given by

Q
I=
t
Here q is in coulomb, t is in seconds and I is in amperes (1 A= 1 C/s)

OHM’s Law

At constant temperature the current flowing through a conductor is directly

proportional to the potential difference across its ends.

I αV

or Vα I

V =Rα I
Here R is a constant called ‘resistance’ of the conductor. Its value depends on
the nature, length area of cross-section of the conductor.

Its unit is the Ohm for which the symbol Ω (greek omega) is used

V
1 Ω= 1
A
Resistivity

The resistance R of a wire of length l and cross-section A is

 l
R=ρ
A
Where ρ is a constant called the resistivity. The resistivity is a characteristics
of the material with which the wire is made.

Effect of temperature on resistance

Resistance of all conductors is found to increase with increase in temperature

of the conductor.

If a conductor has resistance R1 at t10C which becomes R2 at t20C ( t2 0C > t10C )

then increase in resistance ( R2 − R1 ) is found to be depend upon

1. Original resistance R1

( R2 − R1 ) α R1

2. Increase in temperature

( R2 − R1 ) α (t2 − t1 )

( R2 − R1 ) α R1 (t2 − t1 )
Combining
or ( R2 − R1 ) = α R1 (t2 − t1 )

Where α is constant of proportionality. It is called temperature coefficient of

the material of conductor.

( R2 − R1 )
α=
R1 (t2 − t1 )

Ohm
Unit of α = = OC −1orK −1
Ohm × temp

Combination of Resistances

To get the required amount of current in the circuit it is necessary to combine

two or more resistance. The resistance can be combined in two ways
1. Series Combination: If we want to increase the total resistance, then the
individual resistances are connected in series

Then combine resistance is given by

R = R1 + R2

2. Parallel combination: It is used to decrease the total resistance

According to the law of combination of resistance in parallel: The reciprocal of

the combined resistance of a number of resistances connected in parallel is
equal to the sum of the reciprocal of all the individual resistances

1 1 1
= +
R R1 R2

The equivalent resistance in a parallel is always less than the smallest of the
individual resistances.

Electrical Power
Electric work

The electric work (in joules) required to transfer a charge q (in coulombs)
through a potential difference V (in volts is given by)

W = qV
Electrical Power

Electric power (in watts) is the electrical work done (in joules) per unit time
(in sec)

W ork D one
That is power =
T im e ta k e n

W
P =
T

qV
or P=
T

q
because = I . This can be written as
T

P = IV

Where I = is in amperes.

According to ohm’s law V = IR . It becomes

P = I ( IR )
P = I 2R
V2
orP =
R
Then the resistance of high power devices is smaller than the low power ones.
Electric Energy

The electrical energy consumed by an electrical appliance depends on two

things (1) power rating of the appliance and (2) time for which the appliance
is used.

In the mathematical form

Electrical energy = Power x Time

E = P×t
Kirchhoff’s law

To study complex circuit, German Physicist Gurtav Robert Kirchhoff gave

two laws are known as Kirchhoff’s law.

1. Kirchhoff’s current law or Junction law: In a network of conductors, the

algebraic sum of all currents meeting at any junction of an circuit is always
zero i.e.

∑I = 0
Current reaching towards the junction is taken as positive and current leaving
the junction is taken as negative.

I1 + I 2 − I 3 − I 4 = 0
2. Kirchhoff’s Voltate law or loop rule

The net potential drop in a closed electronic network equals the sum of the
products of current and corresponding resistance.

∑R = ∑E
(i) If we traverse in the circular direction of current in a mesh, then the
product of current and corresponding resistance is taken as positive and
opposite to conventional current will be negative.

(ii) If we travel from the negative to positive electrodes of the cell through the
electrolyte, then EMF is taken as positive otherwise negative.
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