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Grade upto college level Electric Current

A molecule of a gas, filled in a discharge tube, gets ionized when an electron is detached from it. An electric field of 5.0 kV/m exists in the vicinity of the event. (a) Find the distance travelled by the free electron in 1 μs assuming no collision. (b) If the mean free path of the electron is 1.0 mm, estimate the time of transit of the free electron between successive collisions.

Profile image of Amit Saxena
12 Years agoGrade upto college level
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1 Answer

Profile image of Jitender Pal
12 Years ago
Sol. E = 5 Kv/m = 5 * 10^3 v/m ; t = 1 μs = 1 * 10^–6 s F = qE = 1.6 * 10^–9 * 5 * 10^3 A = qE/m = 1.6 *5 *10^-6/9.1 *10^-31 a) S = distance travelled = 1/2 at^2 = 439.56 m = 440 m b) d = 1 mm = 1 * 10^-3 m 1 * 10^-3 = 1/2 * 1.6 * 5/9.1 10^5 * t^2 ⇒ t^2 = 9.1/0.8 * 5 * 10^-18 ⇒ t = 1.508 * 10^-9 sec ⇒ 1.5 ns.