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A 0.63 −mm -diameter copper wire carries a tiny current of 2.8 μA. Estimate the electron drift velocity.

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The estimated electron drift velocity for the copper wire which carries a tiny current of 2.8 μA is 659.88 m/s

How to calculate the estimated electron drift velocity?

The estimated electron drift velocity for the copper wire can be calculated as follow:

First, we shall obtain the area of the copper wire. Details below:

  • Diameter of wire (d) = 0.63 mm = 0.63 / 1000 = 0.00063 m
  • Radius of wire (r) = d / 2 = 0.00063 / 2 = 0.000315 m
  • Pi (π) = 3.14
  • Area of wire (A) =?

A = πr²

= 3.14 × (0.000315)²

= 3.12×10⁻⁷ m²

Using the area of the wire obtained above, we can calculate the the electron drift velocity. Details below:

  • Area of wire (A) = 3.12×10⁻⁷ m²
  • Current (I) = 2.8 μA = 2.8×10⁻⁶ A
  • Number of Charge per volume for copper wire (n) = 8.5×10²⁸ electrons/m³
  • Charge of electron (q) = 1.6×10⁻¹⁹ C
  • Electron drift velocity (v) =?


v = (I)/(nAq) \\\\v = (2.8*10^(-6))/(8.5*10^(28)\ *\ 3.12*10^(-7)\ *\ 1.6*10^(-19))\\\\v = 659.88\ m/s

User Ravikumar Sharma
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