Charge Carriers · TheLucidSTEM

Interactive Simulator · Electric current

Inside the Wire

Watch the charge carriers drift along the conductor. Change the cross-section, the carrier density and the drift speed, and see the current respond exactly as I = Anvq predicts.

Mission Set the carriers moving, then predict how the current changes when the drift speed is doubled. Streak 0Best 0

Area A (×10⁻⁶ m²) 2

Density n (×10²⁸ m⁻³) 3

Drift speed v (×10⁻⁴ m/s) 2

Doubling the drift speed (with A and n fixed) changes the current to:

area A2 × 10⁻⁶ m²

density n3 × 10²⁸ m⁻³

drift speed v2 × 10⁻⁴ m/s

current I = Anvq1.92 A

I = Anvq ties current to the carriers: area, number density, drift speed and charge.