CURRENT ELECTRICITY:

Current: It is defined as a rate of flow of charge.

Mathematically, Current = Flow of charge / time
taken. I = Q/ t, where Q=ne, where n is the No of
electrons & e is the charge of an electron. Its value
is 1.6x10-19C.
Current is a scalar quantity. It is measured with the
help of an ammeter. Unit of Current: Unit of
current is ampere (A).
Define the unit of current: It is defined as
if 1 coulomb of charge flows in 1 second, we get a
current of 1 A. 1A = 1C/1s.Practical units are milli
ampere (mA) & micro ampere (µA) . (1 mA =10-3 A &
1µA = 10-6 A)
We know, Q = ne, or n = Q / e.
If 1 coulomb of charge flows in a conductor, then n = 1
/ e, n = 1/1.6x10-19 ,n = 0.625x1019, n = 6.25x1018
electrons.
If 6.25x1018 electrons (1C of charge) flows in a conductor
for 1 second, we get a current of 1A. Direction of
current is opposite to the direction of flow of electrons.

ELECTRIC POTENTIAL & POTENTIAL DIFFERENCE:

Electric Potential is an electrical state of a conductor,
which determines the direction of flow of electrons. It
depends concentration of charges, size & shape of a
conductor.
Electrons will always flow from a higher concentration
of electrons to a lower concentration of electrons and it
will continue until both attain same concentration.
Excess of electrons refers to lower potential while
deficit of electrons refers to higher potential. As the
electrons move from lower potential
(Higher concentration of electrons) to higher potential
(lower concentration of electrons), in turn current flows
from higher potential to lower potential which is
opposite to the direction of flow of electrons.
Flow of electrons and hence the flow of current will
continue as long as there is a difference in potential. In
order to maintain a difference in potentials, battery is
required.

Consider a conductor across which voltage is

applied
POTENTIAL AT A POINT: It is defined as a WD in moving
unit +ve charge from infinity to that point. It is a scalar.
Denoted by a symbol V.
If W is the amount of WD in moving a charge Q from
infinity , then the potential at that point is V =W/Q. or
W = QV.
Units : Volt . 1 Volt = 1 joule/ 1 coulomb.
Define volt: I J of work is done in moving 1 C of charge
from infinity to a point, we get a potential of 1 Volt.

POTENTIAL DIFFERENCE: If VA & VB are the potentials

at two different points A and B, then the potential
difference between these two points is given by Vb - Va =
W/Q. Its unit is Volt and measured using Voltmeter.

OHMS LAW: At constant temperature, steady current flowing through a

conductor is directly proportional to a PD difference between the two ends of a
conductor. I α V, V=IR or R = V/I
Where R is the resistance offered by the conductor.
Unit of resistance= Unit of V/Unit of I, V/A, of simply called as ohm which is
named after the scientist Simon ohm, its symbol is Ω ( Omega) .Its practical units
are KΩ(103 Ω) & MΩ(106Ω).

Ohms law gives idea between relation of

Voltage current and Resistance in a simple
way:
RESISTANCE: An obstruction to the flow of current by a
conductor. This resistance offered by the conductor
depends on No of collisions suffered by the electrons
with +ve ions when they move from one end of the
conductor to the other end.

FACTORS AFFECTING THE RESISTANCE OF A

CONDUCTOR:
i) Material ii) length iii) Thickness iv) temperature

i) Material: All metals are offering less resistance

and good conductors of electricity while insulators
are offering more resistance and hence Insulators
of electricity.
ii) Length : R α length
iii) Thickness: R α(1/A)
iv) Temperature: R α temperature.

V I graph :
Calculate Resistance from the graph: V/I gives R

Conductance (G): Reciprocal of resistance is called

CONDUCTANCE. Its unit is ohm -1 or Ω-1.( mho)

Sample questions:
Question 1: A 6 V battery is connected to the
electric bulb of resistance of 24 ohms. Find the
current flowing through the electric bulb? 
Solution: Here V= 6 V , R = 24 Ω 
The current flowing through the electric bulb is
given by,  
I = V/R , I = 6/24,I=0.25 A. So, the current
flowing through the bulb is 0.25 amperes.
Question 2: An electric iron of resistance
60 Ω is connected to a supply voltage. The
current flowing through the electric iron is 4 A.
Find the voltage applied to the electric iron?
Solution: Voltage equation is given by V = I R ,
Here, I = 4A,R = 60 Ω 
So, Voltage is expressed as V = 4×60, V =240
Volts. 
Question 3: A 240V voltage source supplies
power to a halogen light. The current flowing
through the halogen light is 8A. Find the
resistance of the Halogen light?
Solution: given V = 240 V, I = 8A 
The Resistance is given by R = V/I , R = 240 /8, R
=30 Ω 
So, the Resistance of Halogen light is 30Ω.

OHMIC & NON OHMIC RESISTORS: 

A conductor which obey Ohms law are called Ohmic

resisters (Linear resisters)
Ex: All metallic conductors & nichrome, Cuso4
solution with Cu electrodes, H2So4. If we plot a
V -I graph for these materials, we get a straight line
….

A conductors which do not obey Ohms law are

called non-Ohmic resisters (Non-linear resisters or
dynamic resistors ). Ex: Diodes valve, triode valve,
Junction diode transistor, filament of a bulb.
If we plot a V -I graph for these materials, we
never get a straight line ….& its resistance is
different for different value of V or I. Such resistance
is called DYNAMIC RESISTANCE.

RESISTIVITY (SPECIFIC RESISTANCE):

R α L/A , or R= ρ L/A. Its unit is Ωm. It
depends on material only & temperature.
If L=1m, A=1m2, ρ= R.
Hence resistivity of a material is the resistance
offered by the material having unit length & unit area
of cross section.

Factors affecting RESISTIVITY:

i) Material ii) Temperature.

Choice of a material:
The choice of a material depends on the purpose of
which the wire is to be used.
 i) Copper & Aluminium - Good conductor,
made of thick wire hence negligible resistance
and less resistivity – can be used as an
electrical connection & power transmission
wires.
ii) Nichrome(Ni & Cr), Manganin(Cu Mn& Ni) &
Constantan(Cu&Ni) are the alloys of metals
whose resistivity is large - used for
resistance wires ( it has negligible change
in resistance for change in temperature)
iii) Fuse wire: It is a wire made from of an alloy
of Pb & Sn . Solder (which has low melting
point & high resistivity)
iv) Tungsten: Used for filament in an electric
bulb(High melting point & high resistivity)
v) Nichrome is used as a heating element
appliancies in heater,toaster,oven etc (it has
high resistivity & negligible change in
resistance for change in temperature)

Variation of R and ρ with respect to temperature:

For metals, as temp increases, resistance also

increases.
For Ex: The resistance of filament of a bulb is more
when glowing then when it is not glowing. As temp
increases, R increases, ρ also increases.
Note: For alloy such as Constantan & Manganin,
Nichrome, as temperature increases, R and ρ
remains Constant.

For semiconductors such as Carbon, Silicon &

germanium, increase in temperature, R and ρ
decreases.

SUPERCONDUCTORS: is a substance (conductor)

which has zero resistance at very low temperature.
Some substances such as tin, lead etc decreases its
resistances with decrease in temperature.
The resistance of certain materials will become zero
at very low temperature and material attains the
superconducting state. A material exhibit such a
phenomenon are called superconducting materials.

Ex: Hg at 4.2K, Pb at 7.25K ,niobium at 9.2K

attains superconducting state at the above
mentioned temperatures.

Numericals:
1.Two wires of different material having same
length and same area of cross section. The
resistivity of first wire is doubles the second.
Determine the following:
 a) ratio of their resistivity
b) ratio of their resistance
2.If the two Copper wires same length and their
radius are in the ratio of 2: 7, find the ratio of their
resistance and hence resistivity.
3. Radius of the Cu wire is 16 cm & that of the
aluminum 14 cm and their length are in the ratio of
2:7, find the ratio of their resistance.(Resistivity of
Cu & Al is 1.6x10-8 ohm m & 2.8x10-8 ohm m
respectively.
4. A Wire of 3 ohm resistance and 10 cm length is
stretched to 30cm length.(Area remains constant)
what will be its new resistance?

5.Plot the graph of the following & hence find the

Resistance & hence conductance.

V(volt 0.25 0.5 0.75 1 1.25 1.5 1.75 2

)
IA 0.08 0.16 0.24 0.32 0.4 0.48 0.56 0.64