Finding mass of paperclip using Millikans theory

[Physics_MHS]

Hey guy new to the forum and am in need of some help.
Im trying to figure out a lab that I started in class.

Our group meusured the mass of 70 envelopes with random numbers of paperclips in each.
Our task is to use millikans theory, that every meausurement is a whole number multiple of 1.6x10 to the -19, to find the mass of one paperclip.

Any help would be great.

 

[greeniguana00]

Assuming all the paperclips weighed the same, wouldn't it be fair to say that the mass of an envelop filled will a random number of paper clips will have a mass equal to the sum of the mass of the envelop and an integer multiple of the mass of a single paperclip? In otherwords, if the mass of the envelope is "e", the mass of a single paper clip is "p", and the number of paper clips in the envelope is "n", then the total mass can be represented by e + np.

Because "e" is the same for every envelope, and "p" is the same for every envelope, the only difference is in "n". This means the mass of one envelope compared to the mass of another differs only by an integer multiple of "p". Do you understand so far?

 

[Moetasim]

Hello and welcome to the forum! It sounds like you are working on an interesting lab. Millikan's theory, also known as the Millikan oil drop experiment, is a famous experiment in physics that helped to determine the charge of an electron. It is based on the idea that the charge of an electron is a multiple of a fundamental unit of charge, which is 1.6x10^-19 coulombs.

In order to find the mass of one paperclip using this theory, you will need to use the data you collected from your measurements of the envelopes and paperclips. First, you will need to determine the total mass of all the paperclips in all 70 envelopes. Then, you can divide that total mass by the number of paperclips to find the average mass of one paperclip.

Next, you can use the fundamental unit of charge (1.6x10^-19 C) and the average mass of one paperclip to calculate the mass of one electron. This can be done by setting up a proportion: 1.6x10^-19 C / mass of one electron = total charge of all paperclips / total mass of all paperclips. Solving for the mass of one electron will give you an estimate of the mass of one paperclip.

Keep in mind that this method may not give you an exact mass of one paperclip, as there may be some error in your measurements or other factors that could affect the results. However, it can give you a good estimate and help you understand the relationship between mass and charge in the context of Millikan's theory. I hope this helps and good luck with your lab!