Topics
Electric Charges and Fields
- Electric Charge
- Conductors and Insulators
- Basic Properties of Electric Charge
- Coulomb’s Law
- Forces between Multiple Charges
- Electric Field
- Electric Field Due to a System of Charges
- Physical Significance of Electric Field
- Electric Field Lines
- Electric Flux
- Electric Dipole
- Dipole in a Uniform External Field
- Continuous Charge Distribution
- Gauss’s Law
- Application of Gauss' Law
Electrostatics
Electrostatic Potential and Capacitance
- Electric Potential and Potential Energy
- Electrostatic Potential
- Electric Potential Due to a Point Charge
- Potential Due to an Electric Dipole
- Potential due to a System of Charges
- Equipotential Surfaces
- Relation Between Electric Field and Electrostatic Potential
- Potential Energy of a System of Charges
- Potential Energy of a Single Charge
- Potential Energy of a System of Two Charges in an External Field
- Potential Energy of a Dipole in an External Field
- Electrostatics of Conductors
- Dielectrics and Polarisation
- Capacitors and Capacitance
- The Parallel Plate Capacitor
- Effect of Dielectric on Capacitance
- Combination of Capacitors
- Energy Stored in a Charged Capacitor
Current Electricity
Current Electricity
- Electric Current
- Electric Currents in Conductors
- Ohm's Law
- Drift of Electrons and the Origin of Resistivity
- Mobility of Electrons
- Limitations of Ohm’s Law
- Resistivity of Various Materials
- Temperature Dependence of Resistivity
- Electrical Energy and Power in Conductors
- Cells, EMF, and Internal Resistance
- Cells in Series and in Parallel
- Kirchhoff’s Laws
- Wheatstone Bridge
- Overview: Electric Resistance and Ohm's Law
- Overview: DC Circuits and Measurements
Magnetic Effects of Current and Magnetism
Moving Charges and Magnetism
- Electromagnetism
- Magnetic force
- Motion in a Magnetic Field
- Biot-Savart Law
- Magnetic Field on the Axis of a Circular Current-Carrying Loop
- Ampere’s Circuital Law
- Solenoid
- Force Between Two Parallel Currents (Ampere’s Law)
- Torque on a Rectangular Current Loop in a Uniform Magnetic Field
- Circular Current Loop as a Magnetic Dipole
- Moving Coil Galvanometer
- Overview: Moving Charges and Magnetic Field
- Overview: Torque on a Current-Loop : Moving-Coil Galvanometer
Electromagnetic Induction and Alternating Currents
Magnetism and Matter
- Concept of Magnetism
- The Bar Magnet
- Magnetic Field Lines
- Bar Magnet as an Equivalent Solenoid
- The Dipole in a Uniform Magnetic Field
- The Electrostatic Analog
- Magnetism and Gauss’s Law
- Magnetisation and Magnetic Intensity
- Magnetic Properties of Materials
- Overview: Magnetism and Mater
Electromagnetic Waves
Optics
Electromagnetic Induction
Dual Nature of Radiation and Matter
Alternating Current
- AC Voltage Applied to a Resistor
- Representation of AC Current and Voltage by Rotating Vectors - Phasors
- AC Voltage Applied to an Inductor
- AC Voltage Applied to a Capacitor
- AC Voltage Applied to a Series LCR Circuit
- Phasor-diagram Solution
- Resonance
- Power in AC Circuit
- Transformers
- Overview: AC Circuits
Atoms and Nuclei
Electromagnetic Waves
- Concept of Electromagnetic Waves
- Displacement Current
- Sources of Electromagnetic Waves
- Nature of Electromagnetic Waves
- Electromagnetic Spectrum
- Overview of Electromagnetic Waves
Electronic Devices
Ray Optics and Optical Instruments
- Ray Optics Or Geometrical Optics
- Reflection of Light by Spherical Mirrors
- Sign Convention for Reflection by Spherical Mirrors
- Focal Length of Spherical Mirrors
- Mirror Equation of Spherical Mirrors
- Refraction of Light
- Total Internal Reflection
- Applications of Total Internal Reflection
- Refraction at a Spherical Surfaces
- Refraction by a Lens
- Power of a Lens
- Combined Focal Length of Two Thin Lenses in Contact
- Refraction of Light Through a Prism
- Optical Instruments
- Microscope and it’s types
- Telescope
- Overview of Ray Optics and Optical Instruments
Communication Systems
Wave Optics
- Concept of Wave Optics
- Huygens Principle
- Refraction of a Plane Wave
- Refraction at a Rarer Medium
- Reflection of a Plane Wave by a Plane Surface
- Coherent and Incoherent Addition of Waves
- Interference of Light Waves and Young’s Experiment
- Diffraction of Light
- The Single Slit
- Seeing the Single Slit Diffraction Pattern
- Polarisation of Light
- Overview: Wave Optics
The Special Theory of Relativity
Dual Nature of Radiation and Matter
- Dual Nature of Radiation
- Electron Emission
- Photoelectric Effect - Hertz’s Observations
- Photoelectric Effect - Hallwachs’ and Lenard’s Observations
- Experimental Study of Photoelectric Effect
- Effects of Intensity and Frequency on Photocurrent
- Photoelectric Effect and Wave Theory of Light
- Einstein’s Photoelectric Equation: Energy Quantum of Radiation
- Particle Nature of Light: The Photon
- Wave Nature of Matter
- Overview: Dual Nature of Radiation and Matter
Atoms
Nuclei
- Atomic Masses and Composition of Nucleus
- Size of the Nucleus
- Mass - Energy
- Nuclear Binding Energy
- Nuclear Force
- Radioactivity
- Forms of Energy > Nuclear Energy
- Nuclear Fission
- Nuclear Fusion
- Controlled Thermonuclear Fusion
- Overview: Nuclei
Semiconductor Electronics - Materials, Devices and Simple Circuits
- Concept of Semiconductor Electronics
- Classification of Metals, Conductors and Semiconductors
- Intrinsic Semiconductor
- Extrinsic Semiconductor
- n-type Semiconductor
- p-type Semiconductor
- Diode or p-n Junction
- Semiconductor Diode
- Application of Junction Diode as a Rectifier
- Overview: Semiconductor Electronics
Communication Systems
- Detection of Amplitude Modulated Wave
- Production of Amplitude Modulated Wave
- Basic Terminology Used in Electronic Communication Systems
- Sinusoidal Waves
- Modulation and Its Necessity
- Amplitude Modulation (AM)
- Need for Modulation and Demodulation
- Satellite Communication
- Propagation of EM Waves
- Bandwidth of Transmission Medium
- Bandwidth of Signals
The Special Theory of Relativity
- The Special Theory of Relativity
- The Principle of Relativity
- Maxwell'S Laws
- Kinematical Consequences
- Dynamics at Large Velocity
- Energy and Momentum
- The Ultimate Speed
- Twin Paradox
Definition: Ohmic Device
A device that obeys Ohm's law and gives a straight-line V-I graph through the origin.
Definition: Non-ohmic Device
A device that does not obey Ohm's law and shows a non-linear or direction-dependent V-I relation.
Challenges Faced by the Law
The source material states that several devices do not show a simple direct proportionality between voltage and current. In such cases, the V-I graph is not a straight line through the origin, so Ohm's law cannot be applied in its simple form.
Main Reasons for Failure of Ohm's Law
- The current may not be directly proportional to the applied voltage.
- The relation between voltage and current may depend on the sign or direction of voltage, as in a diode.
- The relation may not be unique; more than one voltage value may correspond to the same current, as mentioned for GaAs.
- Resistance may change with voltage, current, temperature, or the nature of the material.
Limitations of Ohm's Law
1. Non-linear Elements
Ohm's law does not apply to non-linear elements in which current is not directly proportional to voltage.
- Resistance is not constant.
- The V-I graph is curved.
- The ratio V/I changes from point to point.
Examples: thermistors, junction diodes, electrolytes, vacuum tubes.
2. Unilateral Devices
The source notes that Ohm's law fails in unilateral networks, where current flows mainly in one direction.
- Such devices behave differently for forward and reverse bias.
- Therefore, the voltage-current relation is not the same in both directions.
Example: diode.
3. Non-unique V-I Relation
Some materials may show a V-I relation that is not unique.
- For the same current, more than one voltage value may occur.
- This directly violates the simple linear relation required by Ohm's law.
Example: gallium arsenide (GaAs).
4. Dependence on Physical Conditions
Ohm's law is valid only when physical conditions remain unchanged.
- If temperature changes, resistance may change.
- If internal structure or material response changes with current, linearity is lost.
- Therefore, practical devices may depart from ideal ohmic behaviour.
