• In conductors, only negatively charged (delocalised) electrons are allowed to move between atoms
  • In general, an electric current can arise from the flow of either positive or negative particles
• Charged particles moving through a material or through vacuum are known as?charge carriers

Charge carriers drift towards the positive terminal of the conductor. Conventional current flows in the opposite direction

Movement in a Conductor

• Delocalised electrons are the charge carriers in a conductor
  • These electrons normally move?randomly?through the conductor

   

Random path of a delocalised electron through a length of conductor

• If a?potential difference?is applied between two points in the conductor, an?electric field?is created
• As a consequence:
  • An?electric force?will act on the charge carriers
  • The charge carriers will?drift?along the conductor
  • A steady average?current?will flow through the conductor

Electric Current & Drift Speed

• The average speed at which the charge carriers move through a conductor is known as the?drift speed
• The value of the drift speed is usually very small
  • For most everyday situations,?v?～ 10^–4?m s^–1
• The electric current arising from the movement of a given number of charge carriers through a conductor is calculated as follows:

I = nAvq

• Where:
  • n?= number of charge carriers per unit volume, i.e.?charge density?(m^–3)
  • A?= cross-sectional area of the conductor (m²)
  • v?= average drift speed of the charge carriers (m s–1)
  • q?= charge of the charge carriers (C)