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Electric Charges And Fields

Question
CBSEENPH12037169

An oil drop of 12 excess electrons is held stationary under a constant electric field of 2.55 x 104 NC–1 in Millikan’s oil drop experiment. The density of the oil is 1.26 g cm–3. Estimate the radius of the drop. (g = 9.81 ms–2 : e = 1.60 x 10–19 C).

Solution

Given,        

Electric field = 2.25 × 104 NC-1Number of electrons = 12Density of oil, ρ = 1.26 gm cm-3=1.26 × 103 kg m-3

Since, the droplet is stationary,
Weight of the droplet = force due to the electric field

                         mg = Eq


                43πr3  ρ g   = Ene             

                 r3 = 3Ene4π ρg
                            r3 = 3×2.55×104×12×1.6×10-194×3.14×1.26×103×9.81
   
       = 0.9 × 10-18
           
    r=(0.9 ×10-18)1/3
    r=9.81×10-7m.