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A wire carries a 15 μa current. how many electrons pass a given point on the wire in 1.0 s ?

User Jabbson
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2 Answers

3 votes

Final answer:

The number of electrons passing a given point on the wire can be calculated using the formula: Number of Electrons = Current x Time / Charge on an electron. By substituting the values, the number of electrons passing the given point is approximately 9.375 x 10¹³.

Step-by-step explanation:

The number of electrons passing a given point on a wire in 1.0 second can be calculated using the formula:

Number of Electrons = Current x Time / Charge on an electron

Given that the current is 15 μA (microamperes) and the time is 1.0 second, the number of electrons passing the point on the wire would be:

Number of Electrons = 15 μA x 1.0 second / (1.6 x 10-19 C)

By substituting the values and solving the equation, the number of electrons passing the given point is approximately 9.375 x 10¹³.

User Javier Vargas
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3 votes

Final answer:

Approximately 9.36 x 10^13 electrons pass a given point on the wire in 1.0 seconds when a current of 15 μA is carried by the wire.

Step-by-step explanation:

To calculate how many electrons pass a given point on the wire in 1.0 seconds when the current is 15 μA (microamperes), we will use the relationship between charge, current, time, and the charge of a single electron. One electron has a charge of approximately 1.602 x 10-19 coulombs (C). The current (I) is the charge (Q) flowing through the wire per unit of time (t), which is expressed with the equation I = Q/t. Given that 1 μA equals 1 x 10-6 A, we first convert 15 μA to amperes: 15 x 10-6 A. Then, since the current is the charge per second, in one second, a charge of 15 x 10-6 C passes a given point. Now, we determine how many electrons make up this charge.

Q = It = (15 x 10-6 A)(1.0 s) = 15 x 10-6 C.
To find the number of electrons (n), we use n = Q/e, where e is the charge of one electron (1.602 x 10-19 C).
n = (15 x 10-6 C) / (1.602 x 10-19 C/electron) ≈ 9.36 x 1013 electrons.

Therefore, approximately 9.36 x 1013 electrons pass a given point on the wire in 1.0 seconds with a current of 15 μA.

User Bablo
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