DRIFT CURRENT
- If an electron is subjected to an electric field in free space it will accelerate in a straight line form the –ve terminal to the + ve terminal of the applied voltage.
- However in the case of conductor or semiconductor at room temperature, a free electrons under the influence of electric field will move towards the +ve terminal of the applied voltage but will continuously collide with atoms all the ways as shown in figure.
- Each time, when the electron strikes an atom, it rebounds in a random direction but the presence of electric field does not stop the collisions and random motion. As a result the electrons drift in a direction of the applied electric field.
- The current produced in this way is called as Drift current and it is the usual kind of current flow that occurs in a conductor.
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