It looks like you have a comprehensive set of homework questions from a physics lesson on the
Effects of Electric Current for STD-IX & X. Here are the solutions to all the questions,
structured according to the sections in your homework sheet.
A. Very Short Answer Questions (1 mark each)
1. State Ohm's Law. Ohm's law states that the potential difference (V) across the ends of a
metallic conductor is directly proportional to the current (I) flowing through it, provided its
temperature and other physical conditions remain unchanged.
2. Define resistance. Resistance is the property of a conductor to oppose the flow of
electric current through it.
3. Write the SI unit of resistance. The SI unit of resistance is the ohm (\Omega).
4. Write the formula relating V, I, and R. The formula relating potential difference (V),
current (I), and resistance (R) is \mathbf{V = IR}.
5. What happens to current if the resistance of a conductor doubles (voltage same)? If
the resistance (R) of a conductor doubles and the voltage (V) remains the same, the
current (I) will be halved (since I = V/R).
6. Define 1 ohm. 1 ohm (\Omega) is the resistance of a conductor such that a potential
difference of 1 volt (1\text{ V}) applied across its ends causes a current of 1 ampere
(1\text{ A}) to flow through it (1\ \Omega = 1\text{ V} / 1\text{ A}).
7. Name the instrument used to measure current. The instrument used to measure
current is the ammeter.
8. Name the instrument used to measure potential difference. The instrument used to
measure potential difference is the voltmeter.
9. What is the shape of the V-I graph for an ohmic conductor? The V-I graph for an
ohmic conductor is a straight line passing through the origin.
10.What is the condition for Ohm's Law to hold true? The condition for Ohm's Law to
hold true is that the temperature and other physical conditions (like strain) of the
conductor must remain constant.
B. Short Answer Questions (2-3 marks each)
1. Draw a labelled diagram of a circuit used to verify Ohm's [Link] circuit should
include:
○ A resistor (R) whose resistance is to be verified.
○ An ammeter (A) connected in series to measure current (I).
○ A voltmeter (V) connected in parallel across the resistor to measure potential
difference (V).
○ A battery or power supply.
○ A rheostat (variable resistance) to change the current/voltage.
○ A switch or key (K).
2. A wire has a resistance of 4\ \Omega. Find the current if 12\text{ V} is applied.
○ Given: Resistance (R) = 4\ \Omega, Voltage (V) = 12\text{ V}.
○ Formula: Ohm's Law, I = V/R.
○ Calculation: I = 12\text{ V} / 4\ \Omega = \mathbf{3\text{ A}}.
○ Answer: The current is 3\text{ A}.
3. Define resistance and resistivity. State their SI units.
○ Resistance (R): It is the property of a conductor that opposes the flow of electric
current. Its SI unit is the ohm (\Omega).
○ Resistivity (\rho): It is the intrinsic property of a material, defined as the resistance
of a conductor of that material having unit length and unit area of cross-section.
Its SI unit is the ohm-meter (\Omega\cdot\text{m}).
4. On what factors does the resistance of a conductor depend? The resistance (R) of a
conductor depends on four main factors:
1. Length (L): R is directly proportional to L.
2. Area of cross-section (A): R is inversely proportional to A.
3. Nature of the material (\rho): R depends on the resistivity (\rho) of the material.
4. Temperature (T): The resistance of pure metals generally increases with increasing
temperature.
5. What is the effect on resistance when: (a) length of wire is doubled, (b) thickness
(area) is doubled? The formula for resistance is R = \rho (L/A).
○ (a) Length of wire is doubled (L' = 2L): The new resistance (R') will be R' = \rho
(2L/A) = 2 \cdot R. The resistance is doubled.
○ (b) Thickness (area) is doubled (A' = 2A): The new resistance (R') will be R' =
\rho (L/2A) = (1/2) \cdot R. The resistance is halved.
6. Why does the resistance of a metal wire increase with temperature? As the
temperature of a metal wire increases, the atoms/ions in the metallic lattice vibrate more
vigorously about their mean positions. This increases the frequency of collisions between
the free electrons (which carry the current) and the vibrating atoms, making it harder for
the electrons to pass through, thus increasing the resistance.
7. Distinguish between resistance and resistivity.
Feature Resistance (R) Resistivity (\rho)
Definition Opposition to current flow in a Resistance of a conductor of
specific conductor. unit length and unit area of
cross-section.
Dependence Depends on length, area of Depends only on the nature of
cross-section, material, and the material and temperature.
temperature.
SI Unit Ohm (\Omega). Ohm-meter
(\Omega\cdot\text{m}).
1. Two wires of the same material have different thicknesses. Which will have more
resistance? Why? The thinner wire (smaller cross-sectional area, A) will have more
resistance.
○ Reasoning: Resistance (R) is inversely proportional to the area of cross-section
(A), i.e., R \propto 1/A. A thinner wire has a smaller area, offering a greater
opposition to the flow of charge compared to a thicker wire.
C. Numericals (3-4 marks each)
1. The potential difference across a resistor is 12\text{ V}, and the current through it is
3\text{ A}. Find its resistance.
○ Given: V = 12\text{ V}, I = 3\text{ A}.
○ Formula (Ohm's Law): R = V/I.
○ Calculation: R = 12\text{ V} / 3\text{ A} = \mathbf{4\ \Omega}.
2. Find the current through a resistor of 5\ \Omega when a voltage of 10\text{ V} is
applied.
○ Given: R = 5\ \Omega, V = 10\text{ V}.
○ Formula (Ohm's Law): I = V/R.
○ Calculation: I = 10\text{ V} / 5\ \Omega = \mathbf{2\text{ A}}.
3. A wire 2\text{ m} long and 1\text{ mm}^2 in cross-sectional area has a resistance of
0.034\ \Omega. Find the resistivity of the material.
○ Given: L = 2\text{ m}, A = 1\text{ mm}^2 = 1 \times 10^{-6}\text{ m}^2 (since 1\text{
mm}^2 = (10^{-3}\text{ m})^2), R = 0.034\ \Omega.
○ Formula: R = \rho (L/A) \implies \rho = (R \cdot A) / L.
○ Calculation: \rho = (0.034\ \Omega \times 1 \times 10^{-6}\text{ m}^2) / 2\text{ m} =
0.017 \times 10^{-6}\ \Omega\cdot\text{m}.
○ Answer: \rho = \mathbf{1.7 \times 10^{-8}\ \Omega\cdot\text{m}}.
4. The length of a wire is tripled and its area is halved. By what factor does its
resistance change?
○ Let initial resistance be R = \rho (L/A).
○ New length L' = 3L. New area A' = A/2.
○ New resistance R' = \rho (L'/A') = \rho (3L / (A/2)) = \rho (6L/A) = 6 \cdot R.
○ Answer: The resistance changes by a factor of 6 times.
5. A current of 2\text{ A} flows through a conductor for 10\text{ s} when a potential
difference of 5\text{ V} is applied. Find the resistance and the total charge passing
through the wire.
○ Given: I = 2\text{ A}, t = 10\text{ s}, V = 5\text{ V}.
○ i) Resistance (R):
■ Formula: R = V/I.
■ Calculation: R = 5\text{ V} / 2\text{ A} = \mathbf{2.5\ \Omega}.
○ ii) Total charge (Q):
■ Formula: Q = I \cdot t.
■ Calculation: Q = 2\text{ A} \times 10\text{ s} = \mathbf{20\text{ C}}
(Coulombs).
6. Two resistors of 2\ \Omega and 3\ \Omega are connected in series to a 10\text{ V}
battery. Find the total resistance and the current.
○ Given: R_1 = 2\ \Omega, R_2 = 3\ \Omega, V = 10\text{ V}.
○ i) Total Resistance (R_s):
■ Formula (Series): R_s = R_1 + R_2.
■ Calculation: R_s = 2\ \Omega + 3\ \Omega = \mathbf{5\ \Omega}.
○ ii) Current (I):
■ Formula (Ohm's Law for circuit): I = V / R_s.
■ Calculation: I = 10\text{ V} / 5\ \Omega = \mathbf{2\text{ A}}.
D. Conceptual / Reasoning Questions (3-4 marks
each)
1. Why does a copper wire have less resistance than an iron wire of the same size?
Copper has a lower resistivity (\rho) than iron. Since resistance is directly proportional to
resistivity (R = \rho L/A), for the same length (L) and area (A), the material with the lower
resistivity (copper) will have less resistance. Copper is a better electrical conductor.
2. Why are thick wires used for carrying large currents? Thick wires have a larger area
of cross-section (A). Resistance (R) is inversely proportional to the area (R \propto 1/A).
A larger area means lower resistance. Lower resistance leads to less heat generation (H
= I^2 R t), which prevents the wire from overheating and melting when carrying large
currents.
3. Why is nichrome used in electric heaters? Nichrome (an alloy of nickel, chromium,
iron, and a small amount of manganese) is used in electric heaters for two primary
reasons:
○ High Resistivity: It has a very high resistivity, which means it offers a high
resistance to current flow, leading to a large amount of heat generation (H \propto
R).
○ High Melting Point/Resistance to Oxidation: It has a very high melting point
and does not readily oxidize (burn) even when it becomes red-hot in the air.
4. Explain the relation between resistance and resistivity. The relationship is given by
the formula \mathbf{R = \rho (L/A)}.
○ Resistance (R) is a measure of the opposition offered by a specific conductor. It
depends on the material's property (\rho), length (L), and cross-sectional area (A).
○ Resistivity (\rho) is an intrinsic property of the material itself. It is the constant of
proportionality and represents the resistance of a unit length and unit area of the
substance.
○ Resistivity determines the base resistance, while length and area scale that
resistance for a given conductor.
5. What happens to the resistance of a wire when its temperature increases? For most
metallic conductors (like a wire), the resistance increases when its temperature
increases. This is because the increased thermal energy causes the metal atoms to
vibrate more, leading to more frequent collisions with the moving electrons, thereby
opposing the current flow more effectively.
6. If the potential difference is kept constant, what happens to current when
resistance increases? According to Ohm's Law (I = V/R), if the potential difference (V) is
kept constant, the current (I) is inversely proportional to the resistance (R). Therefore, if
the resistance increases, the current decreases.
7. Why does the resistance of an insulator decrease with increase in temperature?
Unlike metals, in semiconductors and insulators, the number of free charge carriers
(electrons) is very limited at low temperatures. When the temperature increases, the
thermal energy is enough to break more covalent bonds, freeing a large number of
electrons (and holes), drastically increasing the number of charge carriers available. This
increase in the number of carriers dominates the effects of increased atomic vibration,
leading to a decrease in resistivity (and resistance).
8. Why are connecting wires made of copper and not nichrome? Connecting wires
should have minimal resistance so that they do not waste electrical energy as heat or
cause a significant voltage drop.
○ Copper is a very good conductor with a low resistivity.
○ Nichrome is an alloy with a very high resistivity. Therefore, copper wires are
used to efficiently conduct current with minimum energy loss, whereas nichrome is
only used in heating elements where high resistance is desired.
E. Optional Creative Question
Draw a neat, labelled V-I graph for a conductor obeying Ohm's Law and one not obeying
it (e.g., diode or bulb). Label axes and explain the difference.
Explanation of the V-I Graph
The graph shows two distinct curves on a set of axes where the Current (I) is plotted on the
y-axis and the Potential Difference (V) is plotted on the x-axis.
1. Ohmic Conductor (e.g., Metallic Resistor):
○ Shape: The graph is a straight line passing through the origin.
○ Meaning: This linear relationship shows that V is directly proportional to I
(\mathbf{V \propto I}), meaning the resistance (\mathbf{R = V/I}, which is the
reciprocal of the slope) is constant and independent of the voltage or current.
2. Non-Ohmic Conductor (e.g., Filament Bulb or Diode):
○ Shape: The graph is a curve (in the case of a bulb, it curves towards the V-axis; in
the case of a diode, it may be non-linear and not pass through the origin or is only
conducting in one direction).
○ Meaning (for a Bulb): The resistance is not constant. As the current increases,
the filament's temperature increases significantly, which causes its resistance to
increase. The curving of the graph shows that a larger change in V is required to
produce the same change in I as the voltage increases, indicating that resistance is
rising.