Chapter 10, Problem 3RAT

When you buy a water pipe in a hardware store, the water isn’t included. When you buy copper wire, electrons

(a) must be supplied by you, just as water must be supplied for a water pipe.

(b) are already in the wire.

(c) may fall out, which is why wires are insulated.

(d) None of these.

To determine

The correct option for the statement “When you buy a water pipe in a hardware store, the water isn’t included. When you buy copper wire, electrons”

Answer to Problem 3RAT

The correct option for the statement “When you buy a water pipe in a hardware store, the water isn’t included but when you buy copper wire, electrons” is option (b)

Explanation of Solution

The water pipe is used to allow and regulate the flow of water through it. The water is allowed to flow from the outside source through the water pipe and is not a constituent particle of the pipe.

Copper is a metal and also a good conductor of electricity. The structure of the copper metal is like that it contains free electrons at room temperature. The electrons are already in the wire, as electrons are its constituent particles and revolve in discrete orbits around the nucleus of atoms of copper.

While purchasing the copper wire, electrons are already in the wire and are responsible for the flow of electric current through the copper wire.

Conclusion:

Therefore, the correct option for the statement “When you buy a water pipe in a hardware store, the water isn’t included but when you buy copper wire, electrons” is option (b)