In one of his experiments, Millikan observed that the followingmeasured charges,
ID: 1733092 • Letter: I
Question
In one of his experiments, Millikan observed that the followingmeasured charges, among others, appeared at different times on asingle drop:6.563x10-19C 13.13x10-19C 19.71x10-19C
8.204x10-19C 16.48x10-19C 22.89x10-19C
11.50x10-19C 18.08x10-19C 26.13x10-19C
what value for the elementary charge e can be deduced from thesedata? 6.563x10-19C 13.13x10-19C 19.71x10-19C
8.204x10-19C 16.48x10-19C 22.89x10-19C
11.50x10-19C 18.08x10-19C 26.13x10-19C
Explanation / Answer
We postulatethat there exists an elementary charge "e" from which all other charges are composed. That is, all other charges are made from integer multiples of this elementary charge. To find it, we line up thedata, which were measured by Millikan, from smallest to the largest, and determine differences between them: Data Difference (x 10(-19) C) ----- ----------------------------- 6.563x10-19C 8.204x10-19C 1.6 11.50x10-19C 3.3 13.13x10-19C 1.6 16.48x10-19C 3.3 18.08x10-19C 1.6 19.71x10-19C 1.6 22.89x10-19C 3.2 26.13x10-19C 3.2 We thus observe that (1.6e-19 C) is the MINIMUM difference between successive charge amounts and that all the other differences are MULTIPLES of this minimum value. Therefore, this observed minimum difference is the elementary charge "e", because it represents the smallest unit difference between the other charges and is the unit from which all charges are composed: {Data IndicatesElementary Charge "e"} = (1.6e-19 C) .
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