A charge of 300 C passes through a cross-section of a conductor in 5 minutes. The current is closest to which of the following?

The correct option is 1.0 A.

Explanation

Electric current is defined as the rate of flow of electric charge through a cross-section of a conductor. It is quantitatively expressed as the amount of charge flowing per unit time. The SI unit of current is the Ampere (A), which is equivalent to one Coulomb per second (C/s).

Calculation:

The relationship between current ($I$), charge ($Q$), and time ($t$) is given by the formula:

$I = \frac{Q}{t}$

Given parameters:

• Charge ($Q$) = 300 C
• Time ($t$) = 5 minutes

Step 1: Convert time to SI units.
To calculate current in Amperes, time must be expressed in seconds.

$t = 5 \text{ minutes} \times 60 \text{ seconds/minute} = 300 \text{ seconds}$

Step 2: Substitute values into the formula.

$I = \frac{300 \text{ C}}{300 \text{ s}} = 1.0 \text{ A}$

Key Takeaway:

Electric current is calculated using the formula $I = Q/t$. When performing this calculation, it is mandatory to convert time into seconds if the charge is in Coulombs, ensuring the final result is in Amperes.