Electrons
      Q7  The value of the charge to mass ratio was determined by  placing an electron gun into sealed glass vessel containing an inert gas, like 
 argon.  As electrons are fired they light up the gas (due to promoting electrons in the gas, which then de-excite and release a photon) .  If placed inside a magnetic field the electron will circle around inside the vessel, causing a ring.  A scale is placed inside.
 
 
 
Analyses

Applying conservation of energy
Ke = Energy due to voltage
0.5mv2 = Ve          (1)

Circle forces
      F(circle)  =  F(magfield)
mv2/r      =  Bev

So v =Ber/m        (2)

Placing 2 into 1
            0.5m(Ber/m)2 = Ve
          0.5B2er/m = V
            e/m = 2V/B2r2

 
 
 
The potential V can be measured directly using a voltmeter and the radius of the circle from the scale in the vessel.  The field strength though can only be inferred from the current in the coil and the distance of the coil to the electron beam, so the value e/m can only be estimated.
 
 
 
The value of the charge of an electron was determined by suspending a charged oil drop in an electric field.  This was done by giving the drop a slight negative charge and placing it between two charged plates.  Only when the upward force due to the field was equal to the weight of the drop would the drop levitate.so
F(gravity) = F(electric)
mg = Eq
mg = Vq/d
q = V/dmg

V is potential difference
d is the plate seperation
m mass of droplet
g gravitational field strength
q charge on the droplet

By repeating the experiment Millikan showed the charge on the oil drop was always a multiple of a number, the charge of the electron (since you can only have integer values of number of electrons)

 
 
 
Q10
l  =      hc
                  [T(T + 2mc2)]







If an electron has 10eV of kinetic energy then
[T(T + 2mc2)] = [1.6*10^(-19)

            (1.64*10^-13)]
5.122*10^-16J
l =        1.989*10-25
                  5.122*10^-16
3.9*10^-10m







Q12 Electrons are treated as particles when dealing with beta decay and deflections due to magnetic and electric fields
Electrons are thought of as waves when it comes to finding them in atoms.  The wave model gives probabilities of finding the electron at different locations where an electron cloud model is used.
 

 
 
 
These are my solutions to a selection of questions from the page 'Some Familiar Particles'. (Robert Lambert.)
 
 
 
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