If the charge on an electron is `1.6 xx 10^(-19)` coulombs, how many electrons should pass through a conductor in 1 second to constitute 1 ampere current?

Answer

To find out how many electrons should pass through a conductor in 1 second to constitute a current of 1 ampere, we can follow these steps:

### Step 1: Understand the definition of current
Current (I) is defined as the rate of flow of charge (Q) through a cross-section of a conductor per unit time (t). Mathematically, it is expressed as:
\[ I = \frac{Q}{t} \]

### Step 2: Relate charge to the number of electrons
The total charge (Q) that flows through the conductor can be expressed in terms of the number of electrons (n) and the charge of a single electron (e):
\[ Q = n \times e \]
Where:
- \( n \) = number of electrons
- \( e \) = charge of one electron = \( 1.6 \times 10^{-19} \) coulombs

### Step 3: Substitute into the current formula
Substituting the expression for Q into the current formula gives:
\[ I = \frac{n \times e}{t} \]

### Step 4: Rearrange to find the number of electrons
To find the number of electrons (n), we rearrange the equation:
\[ n = \frac{I \times t}{e} \]

### Step 5: Substitute the known values
Given that:
- \( I = 1 \) ampere
- \( t = 1 \) second
- \( e = 1.6 \times 10^{-19} \) coulombs

We can substitute these values into the equation:
\[ n = \frac{1 \times 1}{1.6 \times 10^{-19}} \]

### Step 6: Calculate the number of electrons
Now, calculating the value:
\[ n = \frac{1}{1.6 \times 10^{-19}} \]
\[ n = 0.625 \times 10^{19} \]
\[ n = 6.25 \times 10^{18} \]

### Conclusion
Thus, the number of electrons that should pass through a conductor in 1 second to constitute a current of 1 ampere is:
\[ n = 6.25 \times 10^{18} \]

---