Final answer:
The drift velocity is the average velocity at which charged particles move in a conductor due to an electric field. It can be calculated using the equation vd = I / (nqA), where I is the current, n is the number density of charge carriers, q is the charge of each carrier, and A is the cross-sectional area of the conductor.
Step-by-step explanation:
The drift velocity is the average velocity at which charged particles, such as electrons, move in a conductor due to an electric field. It is represented by the symbol vd. The drift velocity can be calculated using the equation vd = I / (nqA), where I is the current, n is the number density of charge carriers, q is the charge of each carrier, and A is the cross-sectional area of the conductor.
For example, if a copper wire has a diameter twice as large and is carrying a current of 20.0 A, we can find the drift velocity by using the equation and plugging in the values.
vd = I / (nqA) = 20.0 A / (8.34 x 10^28 /m³ * 1.60 x 10^-19 C * 6.60 x 10^-6 m²) = 1.44 x 10^-4 m/s