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Tuesday, March 14, 2017

30: Problem 30.2

INTRO:
1.00 × 1020 electrons flow through a cross section of a 4.50-mm-diameter iron wire in 6.00 s .

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PART A:
What is the electron drift speed?

SOLUTION:
Some basics that I learned (by reading! :D):
We can cause a net motion of electrons through a metal by pushing on them with an electric field. This net motion is called the drift speed, symbolized by vd.

The number of electrons (Ne) that pass through a cross section during a time interval (Δt) is defined in eq. (30.1) → Ne = ie⋅Δt
where ie is the electron current​

The electrons that travel a distance Δx during the time interval, form a cylinder of charge with volume V = A Δx
where A is the cross-sectional area of the cylinder​

if the 'number density' (ne) is an element describing the electrons per volume, or cubic meter, then the total number of electrons in the cylinder is given in eq. (30.2) → Ne = ne⋅V = ne⋅A⋅Δx = ne⋅A⋅vd⋅Δt​

using equations (30.1) & (30.2)...
Ne = ie⋅Δt = ne A⋅vd⋅Δt
→ Ne/Δt = ie = ne A⋅vd
→ Ne/(Δt⋅ne⋅A) = vd
lets call that eq. (A), for now​

Looking back at the initial givens, let's go ahead and do my signature first step...
Givens/ conversions:​
Number of electrons ≡ Ne = 1.00×1020
Diameter ≡ d = 4.50 mm = 0.0045 m
Time passed ≡ Δt = 6.00 s

We know the cross-sectional area ≡ A = πr2 = π/4⋅d2
so, we can simplify eq. (A) into almost all givens/ knowns ...
vd = Ne/(Δt⋅ne⋅π/4⋅d2)​

but what is this number density thing... well it's actually a constant determined by the type of metal that the electrons are flowing through! It's given in table 30.1 in the book but I also included it below, for easy reference.
The intro states that the wire's material is iron.
so, using table 30.1... 
ne = 8.5×1028 m-3

∴ vd = Ne/(Δt⋅ne⋅π/4⋅d2) = (1.00×1020)/((6.00 s)⋅(8.5×1028 m-3)⋅(π/4)⋅(0.0045 m)2)
⇒vd =1.233×10-5 m/s​

They want units of μm/s, so multiply through by 106 μm/m
vd =12.33 μm/s​

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