CONDUCTIVITY OF METALS

Module-4 ELECTRICAL

Concept of free Electron and Phonon

free electrons from outer

shels of metal atoms

metal ions

The boundaries of the neighboring atoms slightly

When a large number of atom join to form a metal.
valence electrons find continuity from atom to
overlap on each other. Due to such an overlapping, the
the metal. Thus, each such electron is named afree
atom and thus can move casily throughout the body of
conduction in a solid, they are called conduction
electron. The free electrons are responsible for electrical
electrons.
neutrality. They become positive ions
However, the loss of electrons makes the atom to lose their electrical
the array of such ions in 3 dimensions is
fixed about in their mean position. The structure formation due to
crystal. The energy of these
called lattice. Thermal vibrations of ions at lattice points cause elastic waves in
lattice vibrations is quantised and quantum of this energy is phonon.

Definitions of some terms

Driftvelocity, (va)
When an electric field is applied there will be a net displacement in the randomly moving electron
positions with time in a direction opposite to the direction of the ficld. This displacement per unit time is
called drift velocity which will be constant for free electron in the direction of the field.

Thermal velocity, (Vth)

The velocity with which the free electrons keep moving due to thermal agitation is called thermal
velocity.
 (t)
Mean colision time,
The average time that clapses between two
consecutive collisions of an
electron with the lati
called mcan collision time.

where is the mean free path, vevih is velocity same as combined effect of thermal & drift

Mean free path, ()

The average distance travelled by the conduction electrons between successive collisions
jons.

Resistivity and mobility:

Electrons tend to accelerate in the direction of the field, they are deflected in randomdirectio
by vibrating lattice points, which is scattering. The overalleffect of scattering of electrons
vibrating lattice manifests as resistance to electric current.

Resistance is the physical effect brought about the vibrating lattice in a material by virtue o
which the accelerating effects of an applied field on the conduction electrons is annulled so tha
the electrons settle into state of constant velocity which is proportional to the strength of the
applied field.

Mobility of electrons: The mobility of clectrons is defined as the magnitude of drift velocity
by the electrons in unit electric field

Mobility of electrons u = E
vd is drift velocity, E is electric field applied
elat ice po
Failure of Classical Free Electron Theory (CFET) LO
explained from classjcal free electron theory. It fails
conductivities can be
ccurical and thermal dependence o
specific heat, temperature dependence of conductivity and
dccount the facts such as
electrical conductivity on electron concentration.

cites. 1.Specific heat, (C.)

The molar specific heat of a gas at constant volume is

tice 3
C=-R
2

a metal are expected to behave just

as gas
free electron theory, free electrons in
As per the classical also. But
Thus the above equation holds good equally well for the free electrons
molecules.
experimentally it was found that for a metal
Cy=10RT
lower than the expected value and also shows a
Above equation shows that the value of specific heat
heat is independent of temperature.
dependence on temperature but according to the theory the specific
Hence it fails.

2. Temperature dependence of electrical conductivity,()

Experimentally, electrical conductivity o is inversely proportional to the temperature T.
1
i.e. ’ (1)

and According to the assumptions of classical free electron theory

1
’(2)

theory. Hence it
From equations (1) & (2) it is clear that the experimental value is not agreeing with the
fails.
3. Dependence of electricalconductivity on electron concentration
According to the theory
ne'r
G=
m

where n the electron concentration,

..G n

The electron concentrations for zinc and cadmium are 13.1x10*/m and 9.28x 10/m which are much
higher than that for copper and silver, the values of which are 8.45x10²%/n? and 5.85x10/m
respectively. But the electrical conductivities for zinc and cadmium are 1.09x 10'/Am and 0.15x10'/2m
which are much lesser than that of copper and silver, the values of which are 5.88x10'/S2m and
 f(E) by The Fermifactor,
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