ELECTRICAL
PROPERTIES OF
MATERIALS
PART 1
Expression for drift velocity:
Consider an electron of mass “m” charge “e” moving with a velocity
(Vd) under the influence of electric field “E”.
Then the force acting on the electron is
F=eE ------------- (1)
F=ma =m V /τ --------- (2) (a= V/τ)
By Newton’s II law
• Where τ is the mean collision time
Vd is the drift velocity
mV/τ = eE
From (1) and (2)
• This is the expression for drift velocity(V=(Ee τ /m))
• Expression for electrical conductivity of conductor according to classical free
electron theory (Drude –lorentz free electron model)
• According to classical free electron theory the expression for electrical
conductivity is given by
• 𝜎𝐶𝐹𝐸𝑇 = 𝑛𝑒 2 𝜏/ 𝑚
• where σ - Electrical conductivity
• 𝜏 − 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑛 𝑐𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒
• n- Electron density
• m- mass of electron
Define Mobility
Mobility of electrons is defined as the magnitude of the drift velocity acquired
by the electrons in a unit field.
µ=Vd/E= eET/mE= eT/ m
• Temperature dependence of resistivity of a metal:
• All metals are good conductors of electricity.
• The electrical conductivity of metal varies with the temperature.
• The electrical resistance of a metal, to the flow of current, is due to scattering of
conduction electrons by lattice vibrations.
• When the temperature increases the amplitude of lattice vibrations also
increases, thereby increasing the resistance.
• The dependence of resistance of metal (non-superconducting state) is shown in
figure.
• The resistance decreases with temperature and reaches a minimum value at T =
0K. The residual resistance at T = 0K is due to impurities in the metal.
By Matthiessen’s rule ρ = ρo + ρ(T)
Where ‘ρ’ is the resistivity of the given material
ρo is the residual resistivity due to the impurites present in
the crystal and ρ (T) is the temperature dependent part of
resistivity.
• Failures of classical free electron theory:
• Electrical and thermal conductivities can be explained from classical free electron
theory.
• It fails to account the facts such as specific heat, temperature dependence of
conductivity and dependence of electrical conductivity on electron concentration.
• i) Specific heat: The molar specific heat of a gas at constant volume is
• Cv = 3 /2 R .
• As per the classical free electron theory, free electrons in a metal are expected to
behave just as gas molecules.
• Thus the above equation holds good equally well for the free electrons also.
• Experimentally it was found that, CV=10-4RT which is for lower than the expected
value.
• Also according to the theory the specific heat is independent of temperature
whereas experimentally specific heat is proportional to temperature.
• ii)Temperature dependence of electrical conductivity:
• Experimentally, electrical conductivity σ is inversely proportional to the temperature T.
• i.e. σ α 1 /𝑇 → (1)
• Since v𝛼 √𝑇 (3/2 kT=1/2mv2)
• According to the assumptions of classical free electron theory
• But 𝜏𝛼 1/ v , 𝜏𝛼 1/ √𝑇 , substituting in conductivity equation we get
• 𝜎𝐶𝐹𝐸𝑇 = 𝑛𝑒 2 𝜏/ 𝑚 =( 𝑛𝑒2 )/m√𝑇
• Or 𝜎𝐶𝐹𝐸𝑇α 1/ √𝑇 →(2)
• From equations (1) & (2) it is clear that the experimental value is not agreeing with the theory.
