Matthiessen's rule, relating it to applied electric field

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rwooduk
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Homework Statement


Exam question A6 text: If the resistivity due to scattering with thermally excited impurities is proportional to the electric field employed, can we use Matthiessen's rule? [4 marks]


Homework Equations


None.

The Attempt at a Solution


I understand the basic concept of Matthiessen's rule that the contribution to electronic resistivity / conductivity is split into two independent componants, resistivity due to impurities and resistivity due to the lattice. But I am unsure how this relates to if an electric field is applied. Also we have been taught it only applies if independent from the wavevector, could someone perhaps emphasise this a little?

Please could someone give me a point in the right direction.
 
Anyone?

The only thing I can think is that if the resistivity is proportional to the electric field then it somehow changes the wavevector so it cannot be used.