- #1
Lemon-Sam
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Homework Statement
In Millikan's experiment, an oil drop of radius 1.73 μm and density 0.865 g/cm3 is suspended in chamber C when a downward electric field of 1.44 × 105 N/C is applied. Find the charge on the drop, in terms of e. (Tolerance of solution is +/- 2%)
Known:
radius, r = 1.73 μm x 10-6 m
density, σ = 0.865 x 103 kg/m3
Electric field, E = 1.44 × 105 N/C
magnitude of charge of electron, e = 1.6 x 10-19
gravitational constant, g = 9.8 m/s2
Homework Equations
1. Force due to electric field: F = -qE
2. Mass of the drop, m = (4pi/3)*r3*σ
3. Force of gravity, F = mg = (4/3)*pi*r3*σ*g
The Attempt at a Solution
(1) I rearranged equations (1) & (3) from above to solve for q, thus:
q = (-4*pi*r3*σ*g)/3E
(2) I then plugged in the given values:
q = [-4*pi*(1.73 x 10-6m)3*0.865 x 103 kg/m3*9.8 m/s2]/(3*1.44 x 105 N/C)
= -1.28 x 10-18 C
(3) Now, to put the solution in terms of e, I divided my result from (2) by the magnitude of charge of electron, e:
q = (-1.28 x 10-18 C/1.6 x 10-19 C)(1e)
= -8e C
However, my answer is incorrect, and I'm not sure why. I also tried to reverse the sign of my solution, but that was incorrect as well.