Practice question
Question
Why does the drift velocity of electrons in a conductor remain constant despite continuous acceleration
by an electric field?
Explanation
**Current and drift relation** I = n e A v_d shows current proportional to drift velocity and area. For A=6×10⁻⁷ m², I=1.8 A, n=8.5×10²⁸ m⁻³, v_d =1.8/(8.5×10²⁸×1.6×10⁻¹⁹×6×10⁻⁷)=2.2×10⁻⁴ m/s, illustrating small drift speed even for ampere currents. Electrons accelerate due to the electric field but collide with lattice ions, losing momentum. These collisions occur at random intervals, and the average time between collisions ( tau ) stabilizes the drift velocity ( v_d = e E tau / m ), balancing acceleration with energy loss. Applying I = n e A v_d, R = ρ l/A, R_t = R₀[1+αΔT], Kirchhoff's ΣI=0, ΣV=0, R_eq series/parallel, V = ε
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