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Electronics Activity Sheet

Quarter 2 - MELC 3
Week 5
Relationship of Drift Velocity to
Electric Current and Current
Density

REGION VI - WESTERN VISAYAS

Electronics
Activity Sheet No. 3-Relationship of Drift Velocity to Electric Current and Current
Density
First Edition, 2020

Published in the Philippines

By the Department of Education
Region 6 - Western Visayas

Republic Act 8293, section 176 states that: No copyright shall subsist in any
work of the Government of the Philippines. However, prior approval of the government
agency or office wherein the work is created shall be necessary for exploitation of such
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the payment of royalties.

This Learning Activity Sheet is developed by DepEd Region 6 - Western

Visayas.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this learning resource may be

reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical
without written permission from the DepEd Regional Office 6 – Western Visayas.

Development Team of Electronics Activity Sheet

Writer / Illustrator: Federico B. Barrera

Schools Division of Capiz Management Team:

Salvador O. Ochavo, Jr.
Nicasio S. Frio
Segundina F. Dollete
Shirley A. De Juan
Andres D. Quiachon
Glenn Dollete
Glenna Grace I. Oducado

Regional Management Team:

Ma. Gemma M. Ledesma
Josilyn S. Solana
Elena P. Gonzaga
Donald T. Genine
Rovel R. Salcedo
Moonyeen C. Rivera
Anita S. Gubalane
Minda L. Soldevilla
Daisy L. Lopez
Joseph M. Pagalaran

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Introductory Message
Welcome to Science, Technology and Engineering- Grade 10

The Learning Activity Sheet is a product of the collaborative efforts of the

Schools Division of Capiz and DepEd Regional Office VI - Western Visayas through
the Curriculum and Learning Management Division (CLMD). This is developed to
guide the learning facilitators (teachers, parents and responsible adults) in helping the
learners meet the standards set by the K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum.

The Learning Activity Sheet is self-directed instructional materials aimed to

guide the learners in accomplishing activities at their own pace and time using the
contextualized resources in the community. This will also assist the learners in
acquiring the lifelong learning skills, knowledge and attitudes for productivity and
employment.

For learning facilitator:

The Science Activity Sheet will help you facilitate the leaching-learning
activities specified in each Most Essential Learning Competency (MELC) with minimal
or no face-to-face encounter between you and learner. This will be made available to
the learners with the references/links to ease the independent learning.

For the learner:

The Science Activity Sheet is developed to help you continue learning even if
you are not in school. This learning material provides you with meaningful and
engaging activities for independent learning. Being an active learner, carefully read
and understand the instructions then perform the activities and answer the
assessments. This will be returned to your facilitator on the agreed schedule.

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Name of Learner: ________________________________________________________
Grade and Section: _____________________________ Date: ________________

Electronics Activity Sheet No .3

Relationship of Drift Velocity to Electrical Current and Current Density

I. Learning Competency
Relate drift velocity of a collection of charged particles to the electrical current and
current density.

II. Background Information for Learners

Imagine you enter into a dark room and lights come on as soon as you flick the switch
on. Then your landline phone rings and you answer the call from your friend in Iloilo City while
you are in Roxas City. Your phone conversations with your friend carried by currents in wires
covers a large distance without noticeable delay. How do these happen when the carriers of
individual charges (the free electrons) travel only at the speed of 10-4 m/s (1mm/s)? At this
rate, you can compute that electrons would take approximately 17 minutes to pass through a
wire of 1 meter in length.

Most electrical signals carried by currents travel at a speed of 108 m/s. The high speed
of electrical signals results from the fact that the repulsive force between like charges acts
rapidly at a distance. Thus, when a free charge is forced into a wire, the incoming charge
pushes other charges ahead of it, which in turn push on charges farther down the other end
of the line. The density of charge in a system cannot easily be increased, and so the signal is
passed on rapidly. The resulting electrical signal moves through the system nearly the speed
of light.

Drift means a slow movement towards something. Electrons move in random

directions all the time. However, when electrons are subjected to an electric field (an
electromotive force or potential difference is applied), they slowly drift in one direction, in the
direction of the electric field applied. Hence, drift velocity is defined as the average velocity
attained by charged particles in a material due to an electric field.
In equation form, vd = I/nAq.
Where; vd = drift velocity of electrons (m/s)
I = current flowing through the wire (Amperes)
A = cross-sectional area of the conductor (m2)
Q = charge of electrons (Coulomb)
n = number of electrons

Meanwhile, the amount of electric current traveling per unit cross-section area is called
as current density and is expressed in amperes per square meter (A/m2). The higher is the
current in a conductor, the higher will be the current density. However, the current density
alters in different parts of an electrical conductor and the effect takes place with alternating
currents at higher frequencies.

Current density is a vector quantity having both a direction and a scalar magnitude.

The equation for current density is given as: J = I / A (ampere/m2)

where: I = current flowing through the conductor in Amperes, and;
A = cross-sectional area in m2.
In a nut shell, drift velocity is directly proportional to both the electrical current and
current density.

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III. Activity
A. Study the sample problem below involving drift velocity, provided with step by step
solution, and then practice solving problem no.1.

A copper wire of cross-sectional area 0.5 mm2 carries a current of 0.2 A. If the free
electron density of copper is 8.4 × 1028 m-3 then compute the drift velocity of free electrons.
Step by step solution:
Problem : vd (drift velocity) =?

Given : n (number of electrons) = 8.4 x 1028/m3

A ( cross-sectional area) = 1mm2 =1×10-6m2
I (current) = 0.2A = 0.2 C/s
Q ( charge of electrons) = 1.6×10 −19 C

Formula : vd = I /AvdQ

Substitution : 0.2C/s
vd = -----------------------------------------------------------
1×10-6m2 x 8.5 x 1028/m3 x 1.6×10 −19 C

Vd = 0.03 x 10-3 m.s-1

Problem no. 1

Compute for the drift velocity of electrons in a current of 3A that is flowing in a

copper conductor with a cross-section of 1mm2 (1×10-6m2), considering the fact that
for copper, n = 8.5 x 1028 per m3 and that every electron has a charge of 1.6 x 10-19
Coulomb.

B. Study the sample problem below involving current density provided with step
by step solution and then practice solving problem no.2.

A 15 mm² copper wire has a current of 5 mA of current, which is flowing through

it. Find out the current density.
Step by step solution:

Problem : J (current density) = ?

Given :
I = 5 mA
A = 15 mm²
Formula :
J = IIA
Substitution :
5mA
J = ------------- = 0.33A/m2
15 mm2

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Problem No, 2.
Compute for the current density when 40 Amperes of current is flowing through the
battery in a given area of 10 m2.

Guide questions

1. Why does telephone conversation signal travels so fast when in fact an individual
electron moves only at a very slow motion of 1mm/s?
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2. How does drift velocity relate with electric current?

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3. How does current density affect drift velocity?

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Going a little Further.

Calculate and show your computation on a separate sheet.

• A fuse in an electric wire is a wire that is designed to melt, and thereby open the circuit,
if the current exceeds a pre-determined value. Suppose that the material to be used in
a fuse melts when the current density rises to 440A/cm2, what diameter of cylindrical
wire should be used to make a fuse that will limit the current to only 0.50 Amperes?

IV. Reflection

Confucius, a Chinese Philosopher once said that, “A journey of a thousand miles

always begin with a single step”. Relate this with the drift velocity capacity of electrons
in a conductor to carry signals at an extremely fast rate.
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V. Answer Key

Problem No. 1
Problem : vd (drift velocity) =?
Given : n (number of electrons) = 8.5 x 1028/m3
A ( cross-sectional area) = 1mm2 =1×10-6m2
I (current) = 3A = 3A C/s
Q ( charge of electrons) = 1.6×10 −19 C

Formula : vd = I /AvdQ

Substitution : 3C/s
vd = ---------------------------------------------------------
1×10-6m2 x 8.5 x 1028/m3 x 1.6×10 −19 C

Vd = 2.205882×10−4 m/s

Problem No.2

Problem : J (current density) = ?

Given :
I = 5 mA
A = 15 mm²

Formula : J = IIA

Substitution :
5mA
J = ------------- = 0.33A/m2
15 mm2

1. It is because of the drift velocity of electrons caused by the repulsive forces when
current is introduced in the wire where electrons are pushed in at one end and simultaneously
pushing out electrons at the other end of the wire.
2. Drift velocity is directly proportional to the amount of current in the wire.
3. The greater is the current density, the faster is the drift velocity.

Going a little Further.

Answer: diameter = 3.8 x 10-4 m

Reflection
1. (Possible answer, but not limited to)
Most of the time, it needs for someone to start a little noble work to push or inspire
many others to do the same, and producing great accomplishments in a short span of
time.

2. (Possible answers, but not limited to)

Taking a fast break shot in basketball game.
Harvesting of water melons where it is picked from the plant and is passed from person
to person towards the truck.

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III Links and other References
Giancoli, Douglas C. 2007 Physics Principles with Applications (p506-510) Pearson
Education South Asia Pte Ltd., Inc. ( PHILIPPINE REPRESENTATIVE
OFFICE)

https://www.omnicalculator.com/physics/drift-velocity

https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-physics/chapter/electric-current/

https://byjus.com/physics/drift-velocity/