How Long Does It Take an Electron to Travel Through a Copper Wire?

In summary: The resistivity just gives you an idea of the material's intrinsic resistance to current flow. In summary, the question asks for the time it takes for an electron to travel from the battery to the engine given the current and wire dimensions. The resistivity was unnecessary for the solution.
  • #1
cseil
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Homework Statement


There's an engine connected to a battery with a copper wire.
ρ = 1.69x10^-8
n = 8.49*10^28 electrons/m^2

The diameter of the wire is 5mm. The length is 1m.
How long does it take for an electron to go from the battery to the engine if i = 100A?

Homework Equations



## v_d = \frac{J}{ne} = \frac{i}{Ane} ##

The Attempt at a Solution



I calculated ##v_d## with the equation I wrote above.
I know that the drift velocity could be considered constant. So I calculated t:

## x(t) = 1m = vt => t = 1/v_d ##

My only question is: why did he give me the resistivity!?
Is there something unclear to me?

Thank you
 
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  • #2
cseil said:

Homework Statement


There's an engine connected to a battery with a copper wire.
ρ = 1.69x10^-8
n = 8.49*10^28 electrons/m^2

The diameter of the wire is 5mm. The length is 1m.
How long does it take for an electron to go from the battery to the engine if i = 100A?

Homework Equations



## v_d = \frac{J}{ne} = \frac{i}{Ane} ##

The Attempt at a Solution



I calculated ##v_d## with the equation I wrote above.
I know that the drift velocity could be considered constant. So I calculated t:

## x(t) = 1m = vt => t = 1/v_d ##

My only question is: why did he give me the resistivity!?
Is there something unclear to me?

Thank you
Your method is correct. The resistivity was not necessary, but one can calculate the mobility from it, and then the drift velocity from the mobility. As the current was given, that was not necessary.
 

FAQ: How Long Does It Take an Electron to Travel Through a Copper Wire?

What is drift velocity?

Drift velocity refers to the average velocity of electrons in a conductor when an electric field is applied.

How is drift velocity calculated?

Drift velocity can be calculated by dividing the current (in amperes) by the cross-sectional area of the conductor (in square meters) and the electron charge (in coulombs).

What factors affect the drift velocity of electrons?

The drift velocity of electrons is affected by the strength of the electric field, the resistance of the conductor, and the density of the conductor's atoms.

Why is drift velocity important?

Drift velocity is important because it helps us understand the flow of electrons in a conductor, which is crucial in the functioning of electrical circuits and devices.

How does temperature affect the drift velocity of electrons?

Temperature can affect the drift velocity of electrons by increasing the resistance of the conductor, which in turn decreases the drift velocity. This is due to the increased collisions between electrons and atoms at higher temperatures.

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