The Millikan oil drop experiment was conducted to measure the charge of an electron, and to confirm that electric charge is quantized, meaning it only exists in discrete amounts. This experiment provided important data for the development of the atomic model and the understanding of electricity.
The experiment involved suspending tiny oil droplets in an electric field between two charged plates. The droplets were then observed and their motion was measured under different electric field strengths. By comparing the motion of the droplets, the charge of an electron was able to be calculated.
The Millikan oil drop experiment was conducted by American physicist Robert A. Millikan in 1909. He received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1923 for his work on the experiment.
The experiment determined the charge of an electron to be approximately 1.6 x 10^-19 coulombs. This value is still used in modern physics and is considered a fundamental constant. It also provided evidence for the quantized nature of electric charge.
The experiment provided evidence that atoms are made up of even smaller particles, including electrons with a specific charge. This helped to develop the atomic model and our understanding of atomic structure. It also confirmed the existence of subatomic particles, leading to further advancements in the field of particle physics.