Percent change in thermionic emission

AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers on calculating the percentage change in thermionic emission for two scenarios involving different work functions and temperature changes. For the first question, a participant used a formula to estimate a 15% change in current density when the temperature of an oxide-coated filament is decreased by 1% at 2300K. The second question involves a tungsten filament where the work function decreases by 1%, but the participant expresses confusion about how to calculate the percentage change. It is clarified that the same Richardson-Dushmann formula applies to both questions, with adjustments for constant variables. The conversation emphasizes the need for calculus in these calculations and notes ongoing debates about the constants involved in thermionic emission.
benben312000
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% change in thermionic emission

Q1. Determine the % change in thermionic emission for an oxide-coated filament of work function of 1.3eV if the temperature is decreased by 1.00% at a temperature of 2300K

I'm uncertain but i used

dJ/J=dT/T ( 2 + ((1160x1.3)/1000)

to get a 15% change in current density. I'm not really good at this so i not sure if i used the formula correctly

Q2. Calculate the % change in therimonic amission from tungsten filament of work function 4.52eV if the work funtion is decreased by 1.00% at a temperature of 2300K

I was really puzzled by this question as the difference is in this question the work function is said to decrease but i do not know how to calculate the % change.

Thanks in advance for all the help given.
 
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Use the old (1901, Richardson) formula for thermionic emission:
J = K(T^2)exp(-W/kT),

J = thermionic current density
K = constant peculiar to emitting oxide,
W = work function of oxide
T = temperature, Kelvin.
 


Thanks lots Rude man o:)

Hmm that's interesting i came across a Richardson-Dushmann law as well but it's not so similiar, but that's how i get the "dJ/J=dT/T ( 2 + ((1160x1.3)/1000)". But it's differentiate with respect to the absolute temperature.

Btw do u mean i could use the same formula for both the question cause i don't understand the 2nd question.

Thanks once again
 


benben312000 said:
Thanks lots Rude man o:)

Hmm that's interesting i came across a Richardson-Dushmann law as well but it's not so similiar, but that's how i get the "dJ/J=dT/T ( 2 + ((1160x1.3)/1000)". But it's differentiate with respect to the absolute temperature.

Btw do u mean i could use the same formula for both the question cause i don't understand the 2nd question.

Thanks once again

Yes, the formula isused for both of your questions. Just need a bit of calculus:

dJ/J = (1/J)∂J/∂T*dT + (1/J)∂J/∂W*dW

For your 1st problem, W is constant.
For your 2nd problem, T is constant.
Away you go!

PS - from Wikipedia: "Over 60 years later, there is still no consensus amongst interested theoreticians as to what the precise form of the expression for K should be ... "

PPS - for you that makes no difference since K will cancel out when you divide by J.
 
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