The Fundamental Unit of Life

Question

How is the flow of current in a cathode ray experiment explained knowing that gases are bad conductors of electricity?

Answer

The gas in the discharge tube experiment (at low pressure and high voltage) gets decomposed. Negatively charged particles are produced which travel from cathode to anode, thus facilitating the flow of current. Under other conditions, e.g., 1-atmosphere pressure, no dissociation of gas occurs and no current flows.

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