Answer to Question #32095 in Electric Circuits for suman kumar

Question

The potential difference across a given copper wire is doubled. what happens to the drift velocity of the charge carriers?

Answer 1

Drift velocity depends on average kinetic energy of electronas
v = sqrt(2E/m)
If we double potential difference, the average energy willalso double, as E=q*U, where U is potential difference.
Hence, drift velocity will change in
sqrt(2*2E/m)/sqrt(2E/2) = sqrt(2) times.

Answer: drift velocity will grow in sqrt(2) times