Unit 5: Current, Resistance, and Electromotive Force

Lesson 5.1
Current
Contents
Introduction 1

Learning Objectives 2

Warm Up 2

Learn about It! 3

Electric Current 3
Current, Drift Velocity, and Current Density 6
Drift Velocity 6
Current Density 8

Key Points 14

Key Formulas 15

Check Your Understanding 17

Challenge Yourself 18

Bibliography 19

Key to Try It! 20

Unit 5: Current, Resistance, and Electromotive Force

Lesson 5.1

Current

Introduction
The glow in the filament of an incandescent lightbulb is caused by the electric current
passing through it. This electrical energy is transformed into thermal energy produced from
the collisions of the electrons and atoms in the wire. This causes the wire to reach very high
temperatures, making it glow. Every day, we observe the application of electric current in
several electrical devices not only in light bulbs but also in hair dryers, electric heaters, and
in other electronic devices. Electric current exists in conductors such as wires,
semiconductors, and even in human cells. In this lesson, we will learn about the motion of
charges and other factors affecting it.

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Unit 5: Current, Resistance, and Electromotive Force

Learning Objectives DepEd Competencies

In this lesson, you should be able to do the ● Distinguish between conventional

current and electron flow
following:
(STEM_GP12EMIIId-32).
● Describe electric current and how ● Apply the relationship charge =

charges move in a conductor. current x time to new situations or

to solve related problems
● Describe the relationship between (STEM_GP12EMIIIe-33).
charge, current, and time. ● Relate the drift velocity of a
collection of charged particles to
● Relate the drift velocity of charged
the electrical current and current
particles to the electrical current and density
current density. (STEM_GP12EMIIIe-34).
● Solve problems involving current,
● Solve problems involving current.
resistivity, resistance, and Ohm’s
law in contexts such as, but not
limited to batteries and bulbs,
household wiring, selection of
fuses, and accumulation of surface
charge in the junction between
wires made of different materials
(STEM_GP12EMIIIe-44).

Warm Up
Electric Current 5 minutes
There are several types of current. But one thing is for sure: all of them flow. In this activity,
you will be able to see how it is possible for charges to flow.

Materials
● foam peanuts (alternative: crumpled pieces of paper)
● improvised ramp
● stack of books (act as support for the improvised ramp)

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Unit 5: Current, Resistance, and Electromotive Force

Procedure
1. Place the improvised ramp on a table. Make sure that it is flat.
2. Pour the foam peanuts on the ramp. Note your observations.
3. Remove the foam peanuts from the ramp.
4. Elevate one side of the ramp using a stack of books. This time, pour the foam
peanuts from the elevated side of the ramp.
5. Note your observations.
6. Face your seatmate and answer the following guide questions in a ¼ sheet of paper.

Guide Questions
1. What happens to the foam peanuts when you pour all of them on a flat ramp?
2. What happens to the foam peanuts when you pour them in an elevated ramp?
3. How is the demonstration analogous to electric current?
4. Based on the demonstration, what do you think is an essential requirement for
charges to flow?

Learn about It!

Static electricity has a lot of practical applications as what you have learned in the past
lesson. However, the discovery of continuous flow of charge that can be used for long
periods, revolutionized the application of electricity in our daily lives. In usual conditions, we
always see objects falling towards the ground because objects fall from higher potential to
lower potential. This is similar to how the difference in potential allows the movement of
charges. Let us delve deeper into electric current and the factors affecting it.

Electric Current

How do charges move in a conductor?

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Unit 5: Current, Resistance, and Electromotive Force

Any movement of charges from one region to another is called current. Specifically, the
electric current is defined as the net charge flowing through an area per unit time.
Consider Fig. 5.1.1, where charges move in a direction perpendicular to a surface area, in
this case, a cross-sectional area of a wire. Suppose that ΔQ is the average amount of charge
flowing through an area A at a time interval Δt, where the direction of the flow is
perpendicular to the area. Then, the average current Iav is given by

Equation 5.1.1

Fig. 5.1.1. Current I is the rate of flow of charges through an area A. The direction of current
is the same as the flow of positive charges (top). The direction of current is opposite the flow
of negative charges (bottom).

In a general sense, all currents are simply the averages of the charge passing through an
area over time. However, since a significant number of individual moving charges are
usually involved, it is also essential to define instantaneous current. Instantaneous current
is the limit of the average current as the time interval approaches zero. Thus, current I can
be expressed using the following equation.

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Unit 5: Current, Resistance, and Electromotive Force

Equation 5.1.2

In the case of steady current, the value of the average current and the instantaneous
current are equal.

Electric current has an SI unit of coulomb per second (C/s) or the ampere (A). One ampere
is defined as one coulomb per second (1 A = 1 C/s). It was named after André-Marie
Ampère, a French physicist and mathematician, who laid the foundations of
electrodynamics, now known as electromagnetism. Smaller amounts of current are used in
most cases, such as milliampere (1 mA = 10-3 A) , microampere (1 μA = 10-6 A), and
picoampere (1 pA = 10-12 A).

Charges flowing through a surface can be positive, negative, or both. In metals, moving
charges or charge carriers are always negative, while in plasma, these charges may include
both positively- and negatively-charged ions. We define the direction of the current as the
direction of the flow of positive charges. This is called the conventional current and will
be used throughout the discussion of currents and electric circuits. In a simple circuit
connected to a battery, conventional current assumes that charges flow from positive
terminal to the negative terminal. However, we have what we call as electron flow. It is
simply the opposite of the conventional current, and describes that charges flow from
negative to positive in conductors, with a few exceptions on plasmas and semiconductors.

Conventional current is based on the historical convention 200 years ago, when positive and
negative charges were first introduced, and positive charges are assumed to flow in a wire.
This convention is still used today and is applicable even if the actual current involves
electrons since you will learn later on that sign of moving charges is not that essential in
analyzing electric circuits.

What is the difference between conventional

current and electron flow?

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Unit 5: Current, Resistance, and Electromotive Force

Current, Drift Velocity, and Current Density

You learned in electrostatics that the electric field is zero throughout the conductor, and
there is no current. It is important to note, however, that some of these charges are still
moving within the conductor, such as in the case of ordinary metals. In metals such as
copper and aluminum, some electrons move randomly within the conductor, which are
somehow similar to how gas molecules behave, but at greater speeds (order of 106 m/s).
Since the motion of these electrons is random, there is no net flow of charge in any specific
direction; hence, there is no current.

How is the drift velocity of charged particles

related to current and current density?

Drift Velocity
Now, consider that a steady electric field

is established inside a conductor by

applying a potential difference between
the ends of a conductor (e.g., battery). A
charged particle within the conductor is

then exposed to a force , as

shown in Fig. 5.1.2. Assuming that it is
moving in a vacuum, this charge would

then accelerate in the direction of , and

would move at a high speed in that
direction. However, recall that a charged
particle also moves randomly and
experiences frequent collisions with the
stationary ions within the conductor. In
each collision, a charged particle’s motion
also changes. Aside from the random
movement of the particle within the
conductor, there is also a very slow net

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Unit 5: Current, Resistance, and Electromotive Force

motion or drift of the moving charges in the direction of the steady electric force. This net

motion is called the drift velocity of the particles. This results in a net current in the
conductor.

Electric current can then be expressed in terms of drift velocity of moving charges, as shown
in Fig. 5.1.3. The mobile charge dQ in the conductor is dependent on the number of charged
carriers given by the concentration of particles n, with each of the charged particles having a
charge q. Assuming that all these particles are moving with a drift velocity with a magnitude
of at a time interval dt, and suppose that the cylindrical conductor has a cross sectional
area A, then

Fig. 5.1.3. The image shows that current is the flow rate of charges through a cross-sectional
area A. Current points in the same direction as the electric field.

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Unit 5: Current, Resistance, and Electromotive Force

Substituting the value of dQ to Equation 5.1.2, we will have

where I is the current, n is the concentration of particles, q is the charge of a particle, vd is

the magnitude of drift velocity, and A is the cross-sectional area.

Current Density
The current density J, is the current per unit cross-sectional area, expressed as

It has a unit of amperes per square meter (A/m2).

Current I and the current density J does not depend on the sign of the charge. Thus, we can
replace the charge q with its absolute value, as shown in

Equation 5.1.3

Equation 5.1.3 emphasizes that the current in a conductor of moving charged particles
depends on the average speed of the charge carriers in the direction of the current, the
number of charges per unit volume, and the magnitude of charge carried by each particle.

A vector current density can also be expressed in terms of the drift velocity vector as

where is the current density vector, n is the concentration of particles, q is the charge of a
particle, and vd is the drift velocity vector.

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Unit 5: Current, Resistance, and Electromotive Force

As you noticed, there are no absolute value signs in the equation because the sign of q
affects the direction of the drift velocity.

In cases where there are different kinds of moving charges, concentrations, and magnitudes
of drift velocities involved, the total current can be determined by adding the current for
each charged particle. The total vector current density can also be obtained by adding the

value of for each charged particle.

What is the relationship between drift velocity,

current, and current density?

Remember
Note that current density is a vector, while current I is not.
Current density describes how charges flow at a certain point, and
its direction points to the direction of the flow. Current, on the other
hand, describes how charges flow through an extended object, such
as a wire. Current can be uniform throughout the conductor, but the
current density can vary around the circuit.

Let’s Practice!

Example 1
Find the current in the bulb if a 1.85-C charge passes through the filament of the light bulb
in 3.00 s. Assume that the current is constant throughout the filament.

Solution
Step 1: Identify what is required in the problem.
You are asked to calculate the current in the light bulb.

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Unit 5: Current, Resistance, and Electromotive Force

Step 2: Identify the given in the problem.

The charge (1.85 C) and the time (3.00 s) are given.

Step 3: Write the working equation.

Since there is constant current, average current is equal to the instantaneous
current.

Step 4: Substitute the given values.

Step 5: Find the answer.

The electric current in the light bulb is 0.62 A.

1 Try It!
Find the current in a wire if 5.50 ✕ 1021 electrons pass through a conductor in 3.00
min. (Hint: The charge of an electron is 1.60 ✕ 10-19 C.)

Example 2
A copper wire has a diameter of 1.20 mm and carries a steady current of 1.85 A to a 250-W
lamp. The free electron density in the wire is 8.50 ✕ 1028 per cubic meter. What is the (a)
current density and the (b) magnitude of the drift velocity in the wire?

Solution
Step 1: Identify what is required in the problem.
You are asked to calculate the current density and the magnitude of the drift
velocity (drift speed) in the wire.

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Unit 5: Current, Resistance, and Electromotive Force

Step 2: Identify the given in the problem.

The diameter of the the wire (1.20 mm), the current (1.85 A), and the free electron
density (8.50✕1028/m3) are all given.

Step 3: Write the working equation.

To solve for the cross-sectional area of the wire, use:

To solve for the magnitude of the current density, use:

To determine the drift speed in the wire, use:

Step 4: Substitute the given values.

Before solving for the cross-sectional area, we need to find the radius first:

To solve for cross-sectional area:

To solve for the magnitude of the current density:

To solve for the magnitude of the current density:

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Unit 5: Current, Resistance, and Electromotive Force

Step 5: Find the answer.

The density current is 1.64 ✕ 106 A/m2, while its drift speed is 1.20 ✕ 10-4 m/s.

2 Try It!
An aluminum wire carrying a 10.0-A current has a cross-sectional area of 4.50 ✕ 10-6
m2. If the free electron density in the wire is 9.20 ✕ 1030 per cubic meter, find the
current density and the drift speed in the wire.

Example 3
A copper wire, commonly used in household wirings, has a diameter of 2.06 mm and carries
a current of 15.0 A. Assuming that each copper atom contributes one free electron to the
metal, what is the drift speed of the electrons in the wire? The density of copper is 8.92
g/cm3, and its atomic mass is 63.5 u.

Solution
Step 1: Identify what is required in the problem.
You are asked to calculate for the drift speed of the electrons in the wire.

Step 2: Identify the given in the problem.

The diameter of the wire (2.06 mm), the current (15.0 A), density of copper (8.92
g/cm3), and the atomic mass 63.5 u are all given.

Step 3: Write the working equation.

All quantities are given except for n, its formula is given by:

, where NA is Avogadro’s number, ⍴ is the density of the metal, and A is

the atomic mass.

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Unit 5: Current, Resistance, and Electromotive Force

Before solving the drift speed, cross-sectional area A of the wire can be determined
using:

To solve for the drift speed, use:

Step 4: Substitute the given values.

To solve for n, convert first the density into g/m3:

To solve the cross-sectional area, determine the diameter first.

Area would then be equal to:

To solve for the drift speed:

Step 5: Find the answer.

The drift speed of the electrons in the copper wire is 3.32 ✕ 10-4 m/s.

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Unit 5: Current, Resistance, and Electromotive Force

3 Try It!
An aluminum wire carrying a 20.0-A current has a diameter of 81 mm (12-gauge
aluminum wire). Suppose that there is one free electron per aluminum atom, find
the magnitude of the drift speed of the electrons in the wire. The density of
aluminum is 2.7 g/cm3, and its atomic mass is 26.98 u.

Key Points
___________________________________________________________________________________________

● Electric current is defined as the net charge flowing through an area per unit time.
It has an SI unit of coulomb per second (C/s) or the ampere (A).
● The direction of electric current is the direction of the flow of positive charges. This
is called the conventional current.
● Drift velocity is the very slow net motion or drift of moving charges in the direction
of the steady electric force.
● The current density is the current per unit cross-sectional area. It has a unit of
amperes per square meter (A/m2).
___________________________________________________________________________________________

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Unit 5: Current, Resistance, and Electromotive Force

Key Formulas
___________________________________________________________________________________________

Concept Formula Description

Electric Current Use this formula to solve for

the average electric
current if the amount of
where charge and the time interval
● Iav is the average current in are given.
coulomb per second (C/s
or A);
● ΔQ is the amount of charge
in coulombs (C), and
● Δt is the time interval in
seconds (s).

Use this formula to solve for

the instantaneous electric
where current if the net charge
● I is the instantaneous and the time are given.
current in coulomb per
second (C/s or A);
● dQ is net charge that flows
through an area in
coulombs (C), and
● dt is the time in seconds
(s).

Drift Velocity and Use this formula to solve for

Current Density the current density if the
where current and cross-sectional
● J is the current density in area are given, or if the

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Unit 5: Current, Resistance, and Electromotive Force

amperes per square meter concentration of particles,

(A/m );
2
the charge of each particle,
● I is the current in coulomb and the drift speed are
per second (C/s or A); given.
● A is the cross-sectional
area of the conductor/wire
in square meter (m2);
● n is the concentration of
particles in per cubic
meter (/m3);
● q is the charge of one
particle in coulombs (C),
and
● vd is the magnitude of the
drift velocity or drift speed
in meters per second
(m/s).

Use this formula to solve for

the current if the
where concentration of particles,
● I is the current in coulomb the magnitude of the charge
per second (C/s or A); of each particle, the drift
● n is the concentration of speed, and the
particles in per cubic cross-sectional area are
meter (/m3); given.
● |q| is the magnitude of
charge of one particle in
coulombs (C);
● vd is the magnitude of the
drift velocity or drift speed
in meters per second

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Unit 5: Current, Resistance, and Electromotive Force

(m/s), and
● A is the cross-sectional
area of the conductor/wire
in square meter (m2).

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Check Your Understanding

A. Identify the word(s) being described in each statement.

1. It is the net charge flowing through an area per unit time.

2. It is the term used in referring to the direction of the flow of positive charges.
3. It refers to the very slow net motion or drift of the moving charges towards the
steady electric force.
4. It is the current per unit cross-sectional area.
5. It is the SI unit of electric current.
6. It is one of the factors affecting current density.
7. It is the SI unit of current density.
8. The SI unit for electric current was named after this French physicist and
mathematician.
9. It refers to the limit of the average current as the time interval approaches zero.
10. It refers to the value of the average current and instantaneous current if there is a
constant flow of charges in a conductor.

B. Write true if the statement is correct otherwise, write false.

1. Electric current doubles if the amount of charge flowing in the same cross-sectional
area is doubled.
2. The current density doubles if the cross-sectional area of a wire is doubled, while a
constant amount of current flows through it.

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Unit 5: Current, Resistance, and Electromotive Force

3. The amount of charge dQ triples if three charge carriers are considered while
having an equal value for each charge q.
4. Drift speed an electron is halved if the amount of current is doubled while making
the concentration of particles and the cross-sectional area constant.
5. Drift speed of an electron is doubled if the cross-sectional area is also doubled,
while making the amount of current and the concentration of particles constant.

C. Solve the following problems.

1. Find the current in a copper wire connected to a battery, if a charge of 2.50 C passes
through a section of the wire in 3.5 s.
2. How many electrons flow past through a certain cross-sectional area of a wire in 5.4
min, if a current of 15.0 mA was measured in the conductor?
3. Find the current density in a copper wire used for lamp cords with a diameter of 1.75
mm and carries a steady current of 12.5 A to a desk lamp.
4. Aluminum wires (⍴ = 2.7 g/cm3 and A = 26.98 u) have better conductivity to weight
ratio than copper wires, which allows them to be used for wiring power grids such as
overhead transmission lines and local distribution lines. Suppose an aluminum wire
with a diameter of 3.5 cm carries a current of 560 A, what would be the drift speed of
the electrons in the wire? Assume each aluminum atom supplies one conduction
electron.
5. Given the same diameter and current in the previous item, find the (a) current
density (⍴ = 8.96 g/cm3 and A = 63.55 u) and (b) the magnitude of the drift velocity in a
copper wire. Assume that each copper atom supplies one conduction electron.

Challenge Yourself

Answer the following questions.

1. Explain why current is not considered a vector even if the “direction of current” is
specified.
2. Why do we still use the conventional current even if we already know today that it is
the electrons that move in almost all circumstances?

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Unit 5: Current, Resistance, and Electromotive Force

3. Give a specific situation or demonstration which can be analogous to the

relationship of current, charge, and time.
4. Drift speeds in conductors are typically very small, and they are much smaller than
the average speed during molecular collisions. If, for example, the drift velocity of
electrons is 2.46 ✕ 10-4 m/s, how long will it take for the electrons to cover a 1-meter
wire? At this very low speed, why is it that when you turn on the switch, the light
bulb lit up almost instantaneously?
5. What happens to the drift speed if the current flows from a smaller diameter wire to
a larger diameter, twice as the smaller one? Assume that both wires are of the same
material, and the amount of current flowing through it is constant.

Bibliography
Faughn, Jerry S. and Raymond A. Serway. Serway’s College Physics (7th ed). Singapore:
Brooks/Cole, 2006.

Giancoli, Douglas C. Physics Principles with Applications (7th ed). USA: Pearson Education,
2014.

Halliday, David, Robert Resnick and Kenneth Krane. Fundamentals of Physics (5th ed). USA:
Wiley, 2002.

Knight, Randall D. Physics for Scientists and Engineers: A Strategic Approach (4th ed). USA:
Pearson Education, 2017.

Serway, Raymond A. and John W. Jewett, Jr. Physics for Scientists and Engineers with Modern
Physics (9th ed). USA: Brooks/Cole, 2014.

Walker, James S. Physics (5th ed). USA: Pearson Education, 2017.

5.1. Current 19
Unit 5: Current, Resistance, and Electromotive Force

Young, Hugh D., Roger A. Freedman, and A. Lewis Ford. Sears and Zemansky’s University
Physics with Modern Physics (13th ed). USA: Pearson Education, 2012.

Key to Try It!

1. 4.89 A
2. J = 2.22 ✕ 106 A/m2; vd = 1.51 ✕ 10-6 m/s
3. vd = 4.03 ✕ 10-7 m/s

5.1. Current 20