Charge of an Electron: Millikan's Oil Drop Experiment

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How did scientists discover how much negative charge an electron had? Robert Millikan and Harvey Fletcher used the oil drop experiment. They looked an tiny droplets of oil, and balanced the downward gravitational (gravity) force with an upward electrical force. At this point, they knew the forces had to equal, and they calculate the charge on the oil drops.

[cameron]

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[tanishjinder]

2:40
for anyone wondering how the oil drops got charged, it was such that x rays were passed through the system, which ionised the gas particles inside it. Due to collison with the gaseous ions, the oil drops gained a charge.

Hope it helps

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[timvannes]

Very good video, shame he got mixed up on the charge of the oil drop. The x-rays that radiate through the walls of the vessel ionise the oil drop, hence giving it a negative charge. This also means that the + and - plates need to be swapped, otherwise the electric force would be in the same direction as the gravitational force (+ plate attracts negatively charges atoms)

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I was so confused in my Chem lecture about Milikan's Experiment, but this video cleared it right up! Thanks for this :)

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