Lec 2 CHP 5

Discovery of Neutron
Measurement of e/m Value of Electron

Measurement of Charge on Electron -
Millikan's Oil Drop Method
CHAPTER NO.5
LECTURE NO 2
5.1.5 Discovery of Neutron
Proton and electron were discovered in 1886 and

their properties were completely determined till
1895.
It is very strange to know that upto 1932 it was
thought that an atom was composed of only
electrons and protons.
5.1.5 Discovery of Neutron
Rutherford predicted in 1920 that some kind of

neutral particle having mass equal to that of proton
must be present in an atom, because he noticed that
atomic masses of atoms could not be explained, if it
were supposed that atoms had only electrons and
protons.
Chadwick discovered neutron in 1932 and was
awarded Nobel prize in Physics in 1935
Experiment
 A stream of a-particles produced from a polonium source

was directed at beryllium target. It was noticed that
some penetrating‫ اندر داخل ہونے والے‬radiation were produced.
These radiations were called neutrons because the charge
detector showed them to be neutral Fig (5.6). The nuclear
reaction is as follows.
Actually a-particles and the nuclei of Be ate re-arranged
and extra neutron is emitted
.
5.1.6 Properties of Neutron
 1. Free neutron decays into a proton with the

emission of an electron and a neutrino .
 2. Neutrons cannot ionize gases.

 3. Neutrons are highly penetrating ‫ اندر داخل ہونے والے‬particles.
 4. They can expel ‫ نکال‬high speed protons from paraffin,
water, paper and cellulose
5. When neutrons travel with an energy 1.2 Mev
(Mega electron volt 106 ), they are called fast
neutrons but with energy below 1ev are called slow
neutrons. Slow neutrons are usually more effective
than fast ones for the fission purposes.
6. When neutrons are used as projectiles, they can
carry out the nuclear reactions. A fast neutron ejects
an alpha particle from the nucleus of nitrogen atom
and boron is produced, along with and alpha
particles.
7. When slow moving neutrons hit the Cu metal then
γ gamma radiations are emitted. The radioactive
is converted into .
 Actually, neutron is captured by the nucleus of 65 29Cu and

is produced. This radio active emits an
electron (beta-particle) and its atomic number increases
by one unit. Because of their intense ‫ گہرے‬biological effects
they are being used in the treatment of cancer.
5.1.7 Measurement of e/m Value of Electron
 In 1897, J.J Thomson devised ‫ بنائی‬an instrument to

measure the e/m value of electron. The apparatus consists of
a discharge tube shown in Fig. (5.7).
The cathode rays are
allowed to pass through .
electric and magnetic fields.
When both the fields are off
then a beam of cathode
rays, consisted of electrons,
produces bright luminous
spot at P1 on the
 fluorescent screen.
The north and south poles of magnetic field are
perpendicular to the plane of paper in the diagram.
The electrical field is in the plane of paper. When
only magnetic field is applied, the cathode rays are
deflected in a circular path and fall at the point P3.
 When only electric field is applied, the cathode rays
produce a spot at P2.
 Both electric and magnetic fields are then applied
simultaneously and their strengths adjusted in such a
way that cathode rays again hit the point P1.
In this way by comparing the strengths of the two
fields one can determine the e/m value of eIlectrons.
It comes out to be 1.7588 x 1011 coulombs kg-1.
This means that 1 kg of electrons have 1.7588 x
1011 coulombs of charge.
5.1.8 Measurement of Charge on Electron -
In 1909, Millikan
determined the
charge on electron
by a simple
arrangement.
The apparatus
consists of a
metallic chamber.
It has two parts.
The chamber is
filled with air, the
pressure of which
can be adjusted by
a vacuum pump.
There are two
electrodes A and A’
These electrodes are
used- to generate an
electrical field in the
space between the
electrodes.
The upper electrode
has a hole in it as
shown in Fig (5.8).
A fine spray of oil
droplets is created by an
atomizer. A few droplets
passes through the hole
in the top plate and into
the region between the
charged plates, where
one of them is observed
though a microscope.
This droplet, when
illuminated ‫روشن کرنا‬
perpendicularly to the
direction of view, appears in
the microscope as bright
speck ‫ دھبا‬against a dark
background.
 The droplet falls under the
force of gravity without
applying the electric field.
The velocity of the droplet is
determined.
W=mg
The velocity of the droplet (V1) depends upon its

weight, mg.
where ’m’ is the mass of the droplet and ‘g’ is

the acceleration due to gravity.
After that the air between the
electrodes is ionized by X-
rays. The droplet under
observation takes up an
electron and gets charged.
Now, connect A and A’ to a
battery which generates an
electric field having a
strength, E.
The droplet moves upwards against the action of gravity with
a velocity (v2).
where ‘e’ is the charge on the electron and Ee is the
upward driving force on the droplet due to applied
electrical field of strength E. Dividing equation (1) by
(2)
The values of v1 and v2 are
recorded with the help of
microscope. The factors like g and
E are also known.
 Mass of the droplet can be
determined by varying the electric
field in such a way that the
droplet is suspended in the
chamber. Hence ‘e’ can be
calculated.
By changing the strength of electrical field, Millikan
found that the charge on each droplet was different.
The smallest charge which he found was 1.59 x 10-19
coulombs, which is very close to the recent value of
1.6022 x 10-19 coulombs. This smallest charge on
any droplet is the charge of one electron.
The other drops having more than one electron on
them, have double or triple the amount of this
charge. The charge present on an electron is the
smallest charge of electricity that has been
measured so far.
Mass of Electron
The value of charge on electron is 1.602 x 10-19

coulombs, while e/m of electron is 1.7588 x 1011
coulombs Kg-1. So,
Properties of Fundamental Particles :
The Table (5.1) shows the properties of three

fundamental particles electron, proton and neutron
present in an atom.

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Discovery of Neutron

Measurement of e/m Value of Electron

Proton and electron were discovered in 1886 and

Rutherford predicted in 1920 that some kind of

 A stream of a-particles produced from a polonium source

 1. Free neutron decays into a proton with the

 2. Neutrons cannot ionize gases.

 Actually, neutron is captured by the nucleus of 65 29Cu and

 In 1897, J.J Thomson devised ‫ بنائی‬an instrument to

The velocity of the droplet (V1) depends upon its

where ’m’ is the mass of the droplet and ‘g’ is

The value of charge on electron is 1.602 x 10-19

The Table (5.1) shows the properties of three

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