Answer to Question #301698 in Electricity and Magnetism for Chemistry

Question

Two copper wires with different diameters are joined end to end. If a current flows in the wire combination, what happens to electrons when they move from the larger-diameter wire into the smaller-diameter wire? Does their drift speed increase, decrease, or stay the same? If the drift speed changes, what is the force that causes the change? Explain your reasoning.

Answer 1

Answer

These are joined end to end so they are in series so current flow will be same

since I=same

we know I=neAV

since both are of copper

n is same

as A=area of smaller diameter is small so vd must be large so that I is same in both wire

so V=drift velocity increases.