Electron Charge to Mass Ratio EXP.docx

Name : Abdelrahman Wael Abdelrahman Rashad Ammar

ID : 120240041
E-mail : abdelrahman.120240041@ejust.edu.eg
Experiment Name : Electron Charge to Mass Ratio
Section : 2
Date : February 11, 2025
Abstract
This experiment aims to determine the electron charge-to-mass ratio

(e/m) by analyzing the motion of electrons in a magnetic field produced by
Helmholtz coils. Electrons emitted from a heated filament are accelerated
through a known voltage and deflected into a circular path by the applied
magnetic field. The radius of curvature is measured, and using theoretical
equations, the e/m ratio is calculated. This experiment confirms
fundamental properties of electrons, including their charge, mass, and
quantization. The calculated values are compared to the accepted
theoretical value of e/m.
Aim of Experiment
To measure the electron charge-to-mass ratio (e/m) by observing the

deflection of an electron beam in a uniform magnetic field and verifying the
quantization of electron charge and mass.
Introduction
The charge-to-mass ratio of an electron is a fundamental physical

constant that plays a crucial role in understanding atomic and subatomic
particle behavior. The electron is a subatomic particle with a negative
electric charge, first discovered by J.J. Thomson in 1897 through a series of
cathode ray tube experiments. The charge-to-mass ratio (e/m) is a key
parameter that helps in determining the nature of charged particles and
has applications in various fields, including electromagnetism, quantum
mechanics, and particle physics.
1
The concept of charge-to-mass ratio is derived from the fact that a
charged particle in an electric or magnetic field experiences a force, which
affects its trajectory. Since direct measurement of an electron’s charge and
mass is extremely difficult due to their small values, the ratio of these two
fundamental properties can be determined with higher
precision using experimental techniques. This experiment
investigates the motion of electrons in a perpendicular
magnetic field, which forces them to move in circular
trajectories due to the Lorentz force. The radius of curvature
of these trajectories provides an indirect method to compute
the e/m ratio.
In a vacuum environment with a low-pressure helium gas chamber,

electrons are emitted thermionically from a heated metal filament and
accelerated through an applied potential difference. The introduction of a
magnetic field produced by Helmholtz coils leads to circular motion due to
the perpendicular force acting on the moving electrons. This phenomenon
can be analyzed using classical electrodynamics, specifically the Lorentz
force equation: 𝐹 = 𝑞(𝑣 × 𝐵)
where is the force experienced by the electron, is the electron charge,

is its velocity, and is the applied magnetic field. If the velocity of the
electron is perpendicular to the magnetic field, the resulting force acts as a
centripetal force, leading to uniform circular motion. By relating the kinetic
energy gained during acceleration to the force exerted by the magnetic
𝑒 2𝑉
field, we derive the fundamental equation for e/m: 𝑚
= 2 2
𝐵𝑅
2
where is the accelerating voltage, is the magnetic field
strength, and is the radius of the electron's path. The
accuracy of this method depends on precise measurement
of the radius of the electron beam’s curvature and the
applied magnetic field strength.
This experiment serves as a confirmation of the

quantization of charge and mass, fundamental concepts in
modern physics, and provides a historical perspective on how early
physicists determined the fundamental constants of nature.
Experimental
1. Set up the apparatus as shown in Figure 5.

2. Adjust the accelerating voltage to 160 V.
3. Gradually increase the current in the Helmholtz coils and observe
changes in the electron beam radius.
4. Measure the diameter of the circular electron path using the mirrored
scale, ensuring alignment with its reflection to avoid parallax error.
5. Record the values of the coil current (I) and electron beam radius (r)
for different current settings.
3
4 2 µ0𝑁𝐼𝐻
6. Calculate the magnetic field B using: 𝐵 = ( ) 5 𝑅
𝑒 6 𝑉
7. Compute e/m using the final equation: 𝑚
= 3. 3 × 10 2 2
𝑟𝐼
8. Repeat for different values of coil current and compute the average
e/m value.
3
Conclusion
This experiment successfully determined the charge-to-mass ratio of

an electron using the deflection of an electron beam in a magnetic field. The
results confirm the fundamental properties of the electron, including its
existence, charge, and mass. The observed values, though slightly deviated
due to experimental uncertainties, align closely with the theoretical e/m
ratio.
References
● Griffiths, D. J. (2021). Introduction to Electrodynamics (5th ed.). Cambridge
University Press.
● Serway, R. A., & Jewett, J. W. (2020). Physics for Scientists and Engineers
(10th ed.). Cengage Learning.
● Tipler, P. A., & Mosca, G. (2019). Modern Physics (7th ed.). W. H. Freeman.
● Young, H. D., Freedman, R. A., & Ford, A. L. (2022). University Physics with
Modern Physics (15th ed.). Pearson.
● Krane, K. (2019). Modern Physics (4th ed.). Wiley.
● Halliday, D., Resnick, R., & Walker, J. (2021). Fundamentals of Physics (11th
ed.). Wiley.
● Griffiths, D. J., & Schroeter, D. F. (2018). Introduction to Quantum Mechanics
(3rd ed.). Cambridge University Press.
● Newman, D. (2023). Electromagnetic Theory and Applications. Oxford
University Press.

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Name : Abdelrahman Wael Abdelrahman Rashad Ammar

This experiment aims to determine the electron charge-to-mass ratio

To measure the electron charge-to-mass ratio (e/m) by observing the

The charge-to-mass ratio of an electron is a fundamental physical

In a vacuum environment with a low-pressure helium gas chamber,

where is the force experienced by the electron, is the electron charge,

This experiment serves as a confirmation of the

1. Set up the apparatus as shown in Figure 5.

This experiment successfully determined the charge-to-mass ratio of

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Electron Charge to Mass Ratio EXP.docx

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Electron Charge to Mass Ratio EXP.docx

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​ ​

Name : Abdelrahman Wael Abdelrahman Rashad Ammar

This experiment aims to determine the electron charge-to-mass ratio

To measure the electron charge-to-mass ratio (e/m) by observing the

The charge-to-mass ratio of an electron is a fundamental physical

In a vacuum environment with a low-pressure helium gas chamber,

where is the force experienced by the electron, is the electron charge,

This experiment serves as a confirmation of the

1.​ Set up the apparatus as shown in Figure 5.

This experiment successfully determined the charge-to-mass ratio of

You might also like

Pfad - The Proxy pFad of © 2024 Garber Painting. All rights reserved.

1. Set up the apparatus as shown in Figure 5.