3.3 At room temperature (27.0 °C) the resistance of a heating element is 100 Ω. What is the temperature of the element if the resistance is found to be 117 Ω, given that the temperature coefficient of the material of the resistor is 1.70 × 10–4 °C–1. 105 Reprint 2025-26 Physics 3.4 A negligibly small current is passed through a wire of length 15 m and uniform cross-section 6.0 × 10–7 m2, and its resistance is measured to be 5.0 W. What is the resistivity of the material at the temperature of the experiment? 3.5 A silver wire has a resistance of 2.1 W at 27.5 °C, and a resistance of 2.7 W at 100 °C. Determine the temperature coefficient of resistivity of silver. 3.6 A heating element using nichrome connected to a 230 V supply draws an initial current of 3.2 A which settles after a few seconds to a steady value of 2.8 A. What is the steady temperature of the heating element if the room temperature is 27.0 °C? Temperature coefficient of resistance of nichrome averaged over the temperature range involved is 1.70 × 10–4 °C–1. 3.7 Determine the current in each branch of the network shown in Fig. 3.20: FIGURE 3.20 3.8 A storage battery of emf 8.0 V and internal resistance 0.5 W is being charged by a 120 V dc supply using a series resistor of 15.5 W. What is the terminal voltage of the battery during charging? What is the purpose of having a series resistor in the charging circuit? 3.9 The number density of free electrons in a copper conductor estimated in Example 3.1 is 8.5 × 1028 m–3. How long does an electron take to drift from one end of a wire 3.0 m long to its other end? The area of cross-section of the wire is 2.0 × 10–6 m2 and it is carrying a current of 3.0 A. Reprint 2025-26 Chapter Four MOVING CHARGES AND MAGNETISM 4.1 INTRODUCTION Both Electricity and Magnetism have been known for more than 2000 years. However, it was only about 200 years ago, in 1820, that it was realised that they were intimately related. During a lecture demonstration in the summer of 1820, Danish physicist Hans Christian Oersted noticed that a current in a straight wire caused a noticeable deflection in a nearby magnetic compass needle. He investigated this phenomenon. He found that the alignment of the needle is tangential to an imaginary circle which has the straight wire as its centre and has its plane perpendicular to the wire. This situation is depicted in Fig.4.1(a). It is noticeable when the current is large and the needle sufficiently close to the wire so that the earth’s magnetic field may be ignored. Reversing the direction of the current reverses the orientation of the needle [Fig. 4.1(b)]. The deflection increases on increasing the current or bringing the needle closer to the wire. Iron filings sprinkled around the wire arrange themselves in concentric circles with the wire as the centre [Fig. 4.1(c)]. Oersted concluded that moving charges or currents produced a magnetic field in the surrounding space. Following this, there was intense experimentation. In 1864, the laws obeyed by electricity and magnetism were unified and formulated by Reprint 2025-26 Physics James Maxwell who then realised that light was electromagnetic waves. Radio waves were discovered by Hertz, and produced by J.C.Bose and G. Marconi by the end of the 19th century. A remarkable scientific and technological progress took place in the 20th century. This was due to our increased understanding of electromagnetism and the invention of devices for production, amplification, transmission and detection of electromagnetic waves. FIGURE 4.1 The magnetic field due to a straight long current-carrying wire. The wire is perpendicular to the plane of the paper. A ring of compass needles surrounds the wire. The orientation of the needles is shown when (a) the current emerges out of the plane of the paper, (b) the current moves into the plane of the paper. (c) The arrangement of iron filings around the wire. The darkened ends of the needle represent north poles. The effect of the earth’s magnetic field is neglected. In this chapter, we will see how magnetic field exerts forces on moving charged particles, like electrons, protons, and current-carrying wires. We shall also learn how currents produce magnetic fields. We shall see how particles can be accelerated to very high energies in a cyclotron. We shall study how currents and voltages are detected by a galvanometer.(1777–1851) In this and subsequent Chapter on magnetism, we adopt the following convention: A current or a field (electric or magnetic) emerging out of the plane of the paper is depicted by a dot (¤). A current or a field going into the plane of the paper is depicted by a cross ()*. Hans Christian Oersted Figures. 4.1(a) and 4.1(b) correspond to these twoOERSTED (1777–1851) Danish situations, respectively. physicist and chemist, professor at Copenhagen. 4.2 MAGNETIC FORCE He observed that a compass needle suffers a 4.2.1 Sources and fields deflection when placed Before we introduce the concept of a magnetic field B, weCHRISTIAN near a wire carrying an electric current. This shall recapitulate what we have learnt in Chapter 1 about discovery gave the first the electric field E. We have seen that the interaction empirical evidence of a between two charges can be considered in two stages.HANS connection between electric The charge Q, the source of the field, produces an electric and magnetic phenomena. field E, where * A dot appears like the tip of an arrow pointed at you, a cross is like the feathered 108 tail of an arrow moving away from you. Reprint 2025-26 Moving Charges and Magnetism E = Q ˆr / (4pe0)r2 (4.1) where ˆr is unit vector along r, and the field E is a vector field. A charge q interacts with this field and experiences a force F given by F = q E = q Q ˆr / (4pe0) r 2 (4.2) As pointed out in the Chapter 1, the field E is not just an artefact but has a physical role. It can convey energy and momentum and is not established instantaneously but takes finite time to propagate. The concept of a field was specially stressed by Faraday and was incorporated by Maxwell in his unification of electricity and magnetism. In addition to depending on each point in space, it can also vary with time, i.e., be a function of time. In our Hendrik Antoon Lorentz discussions in this chapter, we will assume that the fields (1853 – 1928) Dutch do not change with time. theoretical physicist, The field at a particular point can be due to one or professor at Leiden. He investigated themore charges. If there are more charges the fields add HENDRIK relationship between vectorially. You have already learnt in Chapter 1 that this electricity, magnetism, and is called the principle of superposition. Once the field is mechanics. In order to known, the force on a test charge is given by Eq. (4.2). explain the observed effect Just as static charges produce an electric field, the of magnetic fields on ANTOONcurrents or moving charges produce (in addition) a emitters of light (Zeeman magnetic field, denoted by B (r), again a vector field. It effect), he postulated the existence of electric chargeshas several basic properties identical to the electric field. in the atom, for which he It is defined at each point in space (and can in addition was awarded the Nobel Prize depend on time). Experimentally, it is found to obey the in 1902. He derived a set of LORENTZprinciple of superposition: the magnetic field of several transformation equations sources is the vector addition of magnetic field of each (known after him, as individual source. Lorentz transformation equations) by some tangled (1853 4.2.2 Magnetic Field, Lorentz Force mathematical arguments, – but he was not aware thatLet us suppose that there is a point charge q (moving these equations hinge on a with a velocity v and, located at r at a given time t) in new concept of space andpresence of both the electric field E (r) and the magnetic 1928) time. field B (r). The force on an electric charge q due to both of them can be written as F = q [ E (r) + v × B (r)] º Felectric +Fmagnetic (4.3) This force was given first by H.A. Lorentz based on the extensive experiments of Ampere and others. It is called the Lorentz force. You have already studied in detail the force due to the electric field. If we look at the interaction with the magnetic field, we find the following features. (i) It depends on q, v and B (charge of the particle, the velocity and the magnetic field). Force on a negative charge is opposite to that on a positive charge. (ii) The magnetic force q [ v × B ] includes a vector product of velocity 109 and magnetic field. The vector product makes the force due to magnetic Reprint 2025-26 Physics field vanish (become zero) if velocity and magnetic field are parallel or anti-parallel. The force acts in a (sideways) direction perpendicular to both the velocity and the magnetic field. Its direction is given by the screw rule or right hand rule for vector (or cross) product as illustrated in Fig. 4.2. (iii) The magnetic force is zero if charge is not moving (as then |v|= 0). Only a moving charge feels the magnetic force. The expression for the magnetic force helps us to define the unit of the magnetic field, if one FIGURE 4.2 The direction of the magnetic takes q, F and v, all to be unity in the force force acting on a charged particle. (a) The equation F = q [ v × B] =q v B sin q ˆn , where q is force on a positively charged particle with the angle between v and B [see Fig. 4.2 (a)]. The velocity v and making an angle q with the magnitude of magnetic field B is 1 SI unit, when magnetic field B is given by the right-hand the force acting on a unit charge (1 C), moving rule. (b) A moving charged particle q is perpendicular to B with a speed 1m/s, is one deflected in an opposite sense to –q in the newton. presence of magnetic field. Dimensionally, we have [B] = [F/qv] and the unit of B are Newton second / (coulomb metre). This unit is called tesla (T) named after Nikola Tesla (1856 – 1943). Tesla is a rather large unit. A smaller unit (non-SI) called gauss (=10–4 tesla) is also often used. The earth’s magnetic field is about 3.6 × 10–5 T. 4.2.3 Magnetic force on a current-carrying conductor We can extend the analysis for force due to magnetic field on a single moving charge to a straight rod carrying current. Consider a rod of a uniform cross-sectional area A and length l. We shall assume one kind of mobile carriers as in a conductor (here electrons). Let the number density of these mobile charge carriers in it be n. Then the total number of mobile charge carriers in it is nlA. For a steady current I in this conducting rod, we may assume that each mobile carrier has an average drift velocity vd (see Chapter 3). In the presence of an external magnetic field B, the force on these carriers is: F = (nlA)q vd ´ B where q is the value of the charge on a carrier. Now nq vd is the current density j and |(nq vd)|A is the current I (see Chapter 3 for the discussion of current and current density). Thus, F = [(nq vd )lA] × B = [ jAl ] ´ B = Il ´ B (4.4) where l is a vector of magnitude l, the length of the rod, and with a direction identical to the current I. Note that the current I is not a vector. In the last step leading to Eq. (4.4), we have transferred the vector sign from j to l. Equation (4.4) holds for a straight rod. In this equation, B is the external magnetic field. It is not the field produced by the current-carrying rod. If the wire has an arbitrary shape we can calculate the Lorentz force on it by considering it as a collection of linear strips dlj and summing F  Idl j × B j This summation can be converted to an integral in most cases. Reprint 2025-26 Moving Charges and Magnetism Example 4.1 A straight wire of mass 200 g and length 1.5 m carries a current of 2 A. It is suspended in mid-air by a uniform horizontal magnetic field B (Fig. 4.3). What is the magnitude of the magnetic field? FIGURE 4.3 Solution From Eq. (4.4), we find that there is an upward force F, of magnitude IlB,. For mid-air suspension, this must be balanced by the force due to gravity: m g = I lB m g B = I l Interactive Charged 0.2 × 9.8 = = 0.65 T 2 × 1.5 Note that it would have been sufficient to specify m/l, the mass per EXAMPLE particles unit length of the wire. The earth’s 4 × 10–5 T and we have ignored it. magnetic field is approximately 4.1 moving demonstration: in a Example 4.2 If the magnetic field is parallel to the positive y-axis and the charged particle is moving along the positive x-axis (Fig. 4.4), which way would the Lorentz force be for (a) an electron (negative magnetic charge), (b) a proton (positive charge). field. http://www.phys.hawaii.edu/~teb/optics/java/partmagn/index.html FIGURE 4.4 Solution The velocity v of particle is along the x-axis, while B, the magnetic field is along the y-axis, so v × B is along the z-axis (screw rule or right-hand thumb rule). So, (a) for electron it will be along –z EXAMPLE axis. (b) for a positive charge (proton) the force is along +z axis. 4.2 111 Reprint 2025-26 Physics 4.3 MOTION IN A MAGNETIC FIELD We will now consider, in greater detail, the motion of a charge moving in a magnetic field. We have learnt in Mechanics (see Class XI book, Chapter 5) that a force on a particle does work if the force has a component along (or opposed to) the direction of motion of the particle. In the case of motion of a charge in a magnetic field, the magnetic force is perpendicular to the velocity of the particle. So no work is done and no change in the magnitude of the velocity is produced (though the direction of momentum may be changed). [Notice that this is unlike the force due to an electric field, qE, which can have a component parallel (or antiparallel) to motion and thus can transfer energy in addition to momentum.] We shall consider motion of a charged particle in a uniform magnetic field. First consider the case of v perpendicular to B. The perpendicular force, q v × B, acts as a centripetal force and produces a circular motion perpendicular to the magnetic field. The particle will describe a circle if v and B are perpendicular to each other (Fig. 4.5). If velocity has a component along B, this component remains unchanged as the motion along the magnetic field will not be affected by the magnetic field. The motion in a plane perpendicular to B is as before a circular one, thereby producing a helical motion (Fig. 4.6). You have already learnt in earlier classes (See Class XI, Chapter 3) that if r is the radius of the circular path of a particle, then a force of m v2 / r, acts perpendicular to the path towards the centre of the circle, and is called the centripetal force. If the FIGURE 4.5 Circular motion velocity v is perpendicular to the magnetic field B, the magnetic force is perpendicular to both v and B and acts like a centripetal force. It has a magnitude q v B. Equating the two expressions for centripetal force, m v 2/r = q v B, which gives r = m v / qB (4.5) for the radius of the circle described by the charged particle. The larger the momentum, the larger is the radius and bigger the circle described. If w is the angular frequency, then v = w r. So, w = 2p n = q B/ m [4.6(a)] which is independent of the velocity or energy . Here n is the frequency of rotation. The independence of n from energy has important application in the design of a cyclotron. The time taken for one revolution is T= 2p/ w º 1/n. If there is a component of the velocity FIGURE 4.6 Helical motion parallel to the magnetic field (denoted by v||), 112 it will make the particle move along the field and the path of the Reprint 2025-26 Moving Charges and Magnetism particle would be a helical one (Fig. 4.6). The distance moved along the magnetic field in one rotation is called pitch p. Using Eq. [4.6 (a)], we have p = v||T = 2pm v|| / q B [4.6(b)] The radius of the circular component of motion is called the radius of the helix. Example 4.3 What is the radius of the path of an electron (mass 9 × 10-31 kg and charge 1.6 × 10–19 C) moving at a speed of 3 ×107 m/s in a magnetic field of 6 × 10–4 T perpendicular to it? What is its frequency? Calculate its energy in keV. ( 1 eV = 1.6 × 10–19 J). Solution Using Eq. (4.5) we find r = m v / (qB) = 9 ×10–31 kg × 3 × 107 m s–1 / ( 1.6 × 10–19 C × 6 × 10–4 T) = 28 × 10–2 m = 28 cm n = v / (2 pr) = 17×106 s–1 = 17×106 Hz =17 MHz. 2 EXAMPLE E = (½ )mv = (½ ) 9 × 10–31 kg × 9 × 1014 m2/s2 = 40.5 ×10–17 J ≈ 4×10–16 J = 2.5 keV. 4.3

1.3 SIGNIFICANT FIGURES figures in a measurement. This important remark makes most of the followingAs discussed above, every measurement observations clear:involves errors. Thus, the result of (1) For example, the length 2.308 cm has fourmeasurement should be reported in a way that significant figures. But in different units, theindicates the precision of measurement. same value can be written as 0.02308 m or 23.08Normally, the reported result of measurement is a number that includes all digits in the mm or 23080 µm. number that are known reliably plus the first All these numbers have the same number of digit that is u Reprint 2025-26 4 PHYSICS This shows that the location of decimal point is negative exponent (or power) of 10. In order to of no consequence in determining the number get an approximate idea of the number, we may of significant figures. round off the number a to 1 (for a ≤5) and to 10 The example gives the following rules : (for 5<a ≤10). Then the number can be • All the non-zero digits are significant. expressed approximately as 10b in which the • All the zeros between two non-zero digits exponent (or power) b of 10 is called order of magnitude of the physical quantity. When only are significant, no matter where the an estimate is required, the quantity is of the decimal point is, if at all. order of 10b. For example, the diameter of the • If the number is less than 1, the zero(s) earth (1.28×107m) is of the order of 107m with on the right of decimal point but to the the order of magnitude 7. The diameter of left of the first non-zero digit are not hydrogen atom (1.06 ×10–10m) is of the order of significant. [In 0.00 2308, the underlined 10–10m, with the order of magnitude zeroes are not significant]. –10. Thus, the diameter of the earth is 17 orders • The terminal or trailing zero(s) in a of magnitude larger than the hydrogen atom. It is often customary to write the decimal after number without a decimal point are not the first digit. Now the confusion mentioned in significant. (a) above disappears : [Thus 123 m = 12300 cm = 123000 mm has 4.700 m = 4.700 × 102 cm three significant figures, the trailing zero(s) = 4.700 × 103 mm = 4.700 × 10–3 km being not significant.] However, you can also The power of 10 is irrelevant to the see the next observation. determination of significant figures. However, all • The trailing zero(s) in a number with a zeroes appearing in the base number in the decimal point are significant. scientific notation are significant. Each number [The numbers 3.500 or 0.06900 have four in this case has four significant figures. significant figures each.] Thus, in the scientific notation, no confusion (2) There can be some confusion regarding the arises about the trailing zero(s) in the base trailing zero(s). Suppose a length is reported to number a. They are always significant. be 4.700 m. It is evident that the zeroes here (4) The scientific notation is ideal for reporting are meant to convey the precision of measurement. But if this is not adopted, we use measurement and are, therefore, significant. [If the rules adopted in the preceding example : these were not, it would be superfluous to write • For a number greater than 1, without anythem explicitly, the reported measurement decimal, the trailing zero(s) are notwould have been simply 4.7 m]. Now suppose we change units, then significant. • For a number with a decimal, the trailing4.700 m = 470.0 cm = 4700 mm = 0.004700 km zero(s) are significant. Since the last number has trailing zero(s) in a number with no decimal, we would conclude (5) The digit 0 conventionally put on the left of a erroneously from observation (1) above that the decimal for a number less than 1 (like 0.1250) number has two significant figures, while in is never significant. However, the zeroes at the fact, it has four significant figures and a mere end of such number are significant in a change of units cannot change the number of measurement. significant figures. (6) The multiplying or dividing factors which are (3) To remove such ambiguities in neither rounded numbers nor numbers determining the number of significant representing measured values are exact and figures, the best way is to report every have infinite number of significant digits. For measurement in scientific notation (in the dpower of 10). In this notation, every number is example in r = or s = 2πr, the factor 2 is an expressed as a × 10b, where a is a number 2 between 1 and 10, and b is any positive or exact number and it can be written as 2.0, 2.00 Reprint 2025-26 UNITS AND MEASUREMENT 5 decimal place. The final result should, therefore, t or 2.0000 as required. Similarly, in T = , n is be rounded off to 663.8 g. n Similarly, the difference in length can be an exact number. expressed as : 1.3.1 Rules for Arithmetic Operations with 0.307 m – 0.304 m = 0.003 m = 3 ×10–3 m. Significant Figures Note that we should not use the rule (1) applicable The result of a calculation involving approximate for multiplication and division and write 664 g as measured values of quantities (i.e. values with the result in the example of addition and limited number of significant figures) must 3.00 × 10–3 m in the example of subtraction. They reflect the umeasured values. It cannot be more accurate properly. For addition and subtraction, the rule than the original measured values themselves is in terms of decimal places. on which the result is based. In general, the final result should not have more significant 1.3.2 Rounding off the Ufigures than the original data from which it was The result of computation with approximate obtained. Thus, if mass of an object is measured numbers, which contain more than one to be, say, 4.237 g (four significant figures) and uits volume is measured to be 2.51 cm3, then its for rounding off numbers to the appropriate density, by mere arithmetic division, is significant figures are obvious in most cases. A 1.68804780876 g/cm3 upto 11 decimal places. number 2.746 rounded off to three significant It would be clearly absurd and irrelevant to figures is 2.75, while the number 1.743 would record the calculated value of density to such a be 1.74. The rule by convention is that the precision when the measurements on which the preceding digit is raised by 1 if the value is based, have much less precision. The insignificant digit to be dropped (the following rules for arithmetic operations with underlined digit in this case) is more than significant figures ensure that the final result 5, and is left unchanged if the latter is less of a calculation is shown with the precision that than 5. But what if the number is 2.745 in is consistent with the precision of the input which the insignificant digit is 5. Here, themeasured values : convention is that if the preceding digit is(1) In multiplication or division, the final even, the insignificant digit is simplyresult should retain as many significant dropped and, if it is odd, the preceding digitfigures as are there in the original number with the least significant figures. is raised by 1. Then, the number 2.745 rounded Thus, in the example above, density should off to three significant figures becomes 1.74. On be reported to three significant figures. the other hand, the number 2.735 rounded off to three significant figures becomes 1.74 since 4.237g -3 Density = = 1.69 g cm the preceding digit is odd. 3 2.51 cm In any involved or complex multi-step Similarly, if the speed of light is given as calculation, you should retain, in intermediate 3.00 × 108 m s-1 (three significant figure) and steps, one digit more than the significant digits one year (1y = 365.25 d) has 3.1557 × 107 s (five and round off to proper significant figures at the significant figures), the light year is 9.47 × 1015 m end of the calculation. Similarly, a number (three significant figures). known to be within many significant figures, such as in 2.99792458 × 108 m/s for the speed (2) In addition or subtraction, the final result of light in vacuum, is rounded off to anshould retain as many decimal places as are approximate value 3 × 108 m/s , which is oftenthere in the number with the least employed in computations. Finally, rememberdecimal places. that exact numbers that appear in formulae like For example, the sum of the numbers 436.32 g, 227.2 g and 0.301 g by mere arithmetic L addition, is 663.821 g. But the least precise 2 π in T = 2π , have a large (infinite) number measurement (227.2 g) is correct to only one g Reprint 2025-26 6 PHYSICS of significant figures. The value of π = = 16.2 cm ± 0.6 %. 3.1415926.... is known to a large number of significant figures. You may take the value as Similarly, the breadth b may be written as 3.142 or 3.14 for π, with limited number of b = 10.1 ± 0.1 cm significant figures as required in specific = 10.1 cm ± 1 % cases. Then, the error of the product of two (or more)⊳ Example 1.1 Each side of a cube is experimental values, using the combination of measured to be 7.203 m. What are the errors rule, will be total surface area and the volume of the l b = 163.62 cm2 + 1.6% cube to appropriate significant figures? = 163.62 + 2.6 cm2 Answer The number of significant figures in the measured length is 4. The calculated area This leads us to quote the final result as and the volume should therefore be rounded off l b = 164 + 3 cm2 to 4 significant figures. Here 3 cm2 is the uSurface area of the cube = 6(7.203)2 m2 estimation of area of rectangular sheet. = 311.299254 m2 (2) If a set of experimental data is specified = 311.3 m2 to n significant figures, a result obtained by combining the data will also be valid to n Volume of the cube = (7.203)3 m3 significant figures. = 373.714754 m3 However, if data are subtracted, the number of = 373.7 m3 ⊳ significant figures can be reduced. ⊳ Example 1.2 5.74 g of a substance For example, 12.9 g – 7.06 g, both specified to occupies 1.2 cm3. Express its density by three significant figures, cannot properly be keeping the significant figures in view. evaluated as 5.84 g but only as 5.8 g, as u in a different fashion (smallest number ofmeasured mass whereas there are only 2 decimal places rather than the number of significant figures in the measured volume. significant figures in any of the number added Hence the density should be expressed to only or subtracted). 2 significant figures. (3) The relative error of a value of number 5.74 −3 specified to significant figures depends not Density = g cm 1.2 only on n but also on the number itself. = 4.8 g cm--3 . ⊳ For example, the accuracy in measurement of mass 1.02 g is ± 0.01 g whereas another 1.3.3 Rules for Determining the U in the Results of Arithmetic The relative error in 1.02 g is Calculations = (± 0.01/1.02) × 100 % = ± 1%The rules for determining the u Similarly, the relative error in 9.89 g iserror in the number/measured quantity in = (± 0.01/9.89) × 100 %arithmetic operations can be understood from = ± 0.1 %the following examples. Finally, remember that intermediate results in(1) If the length and breadth of a thin rectangular sheet are measured, using a metre a multi-step computation should be scale as 16.2 cm and, 10.1 cm respectively, there calculated to one more significant figure in are three significant figures in each every measurement than the number of measurement. It means that the length l may digits in the least precise measurement. be written as These should be justified by the data and then l = 16.2 ± 0.1 cm the arithmetic operations may be carried out; Reprint 2025-26 UNITS AND MEASUREMENT 7 otherwise rounding errors can build up. For mass, one dimension in length, and –2 example, the reciprocal of 9.58, calculated (after dimensions in time. The dimensions in all other rounding off) to the same number of significant base quantities are zero. figures (three) is 0.104, but the reciprocal of Note that in this type of representation, the magnitudes are not considered. It is the quality0.104 calculated to three significant figures is of the type of the physical quantity that enters. 9.62. However, if we had written 1/9.58 = 0.1044 Thus, a change in velocity, initial velocity, and then taken the reciprocal to three significant average velocity, final velocity, and speed are figures, we would have retrieved the original all equivalent in this context. Since all these value of 9.58. quantities can be expressed as length/time, This example justifies the idea to retain one their dimensions are [L]/[T] or [L T–1]. more extra digit (than the number of digits in the least precise measurement) in intermediate 1.5 DIMENSIONAL FORMULAE AND steps of the complex multi-step calculations in DIMENSIONAL EQUATIONS order to avoid additional errors in the process The expression which shows how and which of of rounding off the numbers. the base quantities represent the dimensions of a physical quantity is called the dimensional

3.7 RESISTIVITY OF VARIOUS MATERIALS The materials are classified as conductors, semiconductors and insulators 89depending on their resistivities, in an increasing order of their values. Reprint 2025-26 Physics Metals have low resistivities in the range of 10–8 Wm to 10–6 Wm. At the other end are insulators like ceramic, rubber and plastics having resistivities 1018 times greater than metals or more. In between the two are the semiconductors. These, however, have resistivities characteristically decreasing with a rise in temperature. The resistivities of semiconductors can be decreased by adding small amount of suitable impurities. This last feature is exploited in use of semiconductors for electronic devices. 3.8 TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE OF RESISTIVITY The resistivity of a material is found to be dependent on the temperature. Different materials do not exhibit the same dependence on temperatures. Over a limited range of temperatures, that is not too large, the resistivity of a metallic conductor is approximately given by, rT = r0 [1 + a (T–T0)] (3.26) where rT is the resistivity at a temperature T and r0 is the same at a reference temperature T0. a is called the temperature co-efficient of resistivity, and from Eq. (3.26), the dimension of a is (Temperature)–1. For metals, a is positive. The relation of Eq. (3.26) implies that a graph of rT plotted against T would be a straight line. At temperatures much lower than 0°C, the graph, however, deviates considerably from a straight line (Fig. 3.8). Equation (3.26) thus, can be used approximately over a limited range of T around any reference temperature T0, where the graph can be approximated as a straight line.  FIGURE 3.8 FIGURE 3.9 Resistivity FIGURE 3.10 Resistivity rT of rT of nichrome as a Temperature dependence copper as a function function of absolute of resistivity for a typical of temperature T. temperature T. semiconductor. Some materials like Nichrome (which is an alloy of nickel, iron and chromium) exhibit a very weak dependence of resistivity with temperature (Fig. 3.9). Manganin and constantan have similar properties. These materials are thus widely used in wire bound standard resistors since 90 their resistance values would change very little with temperatures. Reprint 2025-26 Current Electricity Unlike metals, the resistivities of semiconductors decrease with increasing temperatures. A typical dependence is shown in Fig. 3.10. We can qualitatively understand the temperature dependence of resistivity, in the light of our derivation of Eq. (3.23). From this equation, resistivity of a material is given by 1 m ρ= = 2 (3.27) σ n e τ r thus depends inversely both on the number n of free electrons per unit volume and on the average time t between collisions. As we increase temperature, average speed of the electrons, which act as the carriers of current, increases resulting in more frequent collisions. The average time of collisions t, thus decreases with temperature. In a metal, n is not dependent on temperature to any appreciable extent and thus the decrease in the value of t with rise in temperature causes r to increase as we have observed. For insulators and semiconductors, however, n increases with temperature. This increase more than compensates any decrease in t in Eq.(3.23) so that for such materials, r decreases with temperature. Example 3.3 An electric toaster uses nichrome for its heating element. When a negligibly small current passes through it, its resistance at room temperature (27.0 °C) is found to be 75.3 W. When the toaster is connected to a 230 V supply, the current settles, after a few seconds, to a steady value of 2.68 A. What is the steady temperature of the nichrome element? The temperature coefficient of resistance of nichrome averaged over the temperature range involved, is 1.70 × 10–4 °C–1. Solution When the current through the element is very small, heating effects can be ignored and the temperature T1 of the element is the same as room temperature. When the toaster is connected to the supply, its initial current will be slightly higher than its steady value of 2.68 A. But due to heating effect of the current, the temperature will rise. This will cause an increase in resistance and a slight decrease in current. In a few seconds, a steady state will be reached when temperature will rise no further, and both the resistance of the element and the current drawn will achieve steady values. The resistance R2 at the steady temperature T2 is 230 V R2 = 2.68 A = 85.8 Ω Using the relation R2 = R1 [1 + a (T2 – T1)] with a = 1.70 × 10–4 °C–1, we get (85.8 – 75.3) T2 – T1 = –4 = 820 °C (75.3) × 1.70 × 10 that is, T2 = (820 + 27.0) °C = 847 °C Thus, the steady temperature of the heating element (when heating EXAMPLE effect due to the current equals heat loss to the surroundings) is 3.3 91 847 °C. Reprint 2025-26 Physics Example 3.4 The resistance of the platinum wire of a platinum resistance thermometer at the ice point is 5 W and at steam point is 5.23 W. When the thermometer is inserted in a hot bath, the resistance of the platinum wire is 5.795 W. Calculate the temperature of the bath. Solution R0 = 5 W, R100 = 5.23 W and Rt = 5.795 W Rt − R 0 Now, t = × 100, Rt = R 0 (1 + αt ) R100 − R 0 3.4 5.795 − 5 = × 100 5.23 − 5 0.795 EXAMPLE = × 100 = 345.65 °C 0.23 3.9 ELECTRICAL ENERGY, POWER Consider a conductor with end points A and B, in which a current I is flowing from A to B. The electric potential at A and B are denoted by V(A) and V(B) respectively. Since current is flowing from A to B, V(A) > V(B) and the potential difference across AB is V = V(A) – V(B) > 0. In a time interval Dt, an amount of charge DQ = I Dt travels from A to B. The potential energy of the charge at A, by definition, was Q V(A) and similarly at B, it is Q V(B). Thus, change in its potential energy DUpot is DUpot = Final potential energy – Initial potential energy = DQ[(V (B) – V (A)] = –DQ V = –I VDt < 0 (3.28) If charges moved without collisions through the conductor, their kinetic energy would also change so that the total energy is unchanged. Conservation of total energy would then imply that, DK = –DUpot (3.29) that is, DK = I VDt > 0 (3.30) Thus, in case charges were moving freely through the conductor under the action of electric field, their kinetic energy would increase as they move. We have, however, seen earlier that on the average, charge carriers do not move with acceleration but with a steady drift velocity. This is because of the collisions with ions and atoms during transit. During collisions, the energy gained by the charges thus is shared with the atoms. The atoms vibrate more vigorously, i.e., the conductor heats up. Thus, in an actual conductor, an amount of energy dissipated as heat in the conductor during the time interval Dt is, DW = I VDt (3.31) The energy dissipated per unit time is the power dissipated P = DW/Dt and we have, 92 P = I V (3.32) Reprint 2025-26 Current Electricity Using Ohm’s law V = IR, we get P = I 2 R = V 2/R (3.33) as the power loss (“ohmic loss”) in a conductor of resistance R carrying a current I. It is this power which heats up, for example, the coil of an electric bulb to incandescence, radiating out heat and light. Where does the power come from? As we have reasoned before, we need an external source to keep a steady current through the conductor. It is clearly this source which must supply this power. In the simple circuit shown with a cell (Fig.3.11), it is the chemical energy of the cell which supplies this power for as long as it can. The expressions for power, Eqs. (3.32) and (3.33), show the dependence of the power dissipated in a resistor R on the current through it and the voltage FIGURE 3.11 Heat is produced in the across it. resistor R which is connected across Equation (3.33) has an important application to the terminals of a cell. The energy power transmission. Electrical power is transmitted dissipated in the resistor R comes from from power stations to homes and factories, which the chemical energy of the electrolyte. may be hundreds of miles away, via transmission cables. One obviously wants to minimise the power loss in the transmission cables connecting the power stations to homes and factories. We shall see now how this can be achieved. Consider a device R, to which a power P is to be delivered via transmission cables having a resistance Rc to be dissipated by it finally. If V is the voltage across R and I the current through it, then P = V I (3.34) The connecting wires from the power station to the device has a finite resistance Rc. The power dissipated in the connecting wires, which is wasted is Pc with Pc = I 2 Rc P 2 R c = 2 (3.35) V from Eq. (3.32). Thus, to drive a device of power P, the power wasted in the connecting wires is inversely proportional to V 2. The transmission cables from power stations are hundreds of miles long and their resistance Rc is considerable. To reduce Pc, these wires carry current at enormous values of V and this is the reason for the high voltage danger signs on transmission lines — a common sight as we move away from populated areas. Using electricity at such voltages is not safe and hence at the other end, a device called a transformer lowers the voltage to a value suitable for use.