Millikan's Oil Drop Experiment: the Charge of an Electron

Basic breakdown of the experiment performed by Robert Millkan in 1909, which determined the charge of a single electron.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Oil
• Drop
• Experiment
• Robert
• Millkan
• Charge
• Electron
• Chemistry
• Atomic
• Structure

[john37309]

Great video. You explained it very well!

Thank you ChemAssistBeta,

John.

[kekeedme]

@darc1993th You are right to point out that the electric field goes from + to -. But he did not make a mistake because the oil droplets are negatively charged so they tend to go upward. The ionizing radiation hits the gas molecules, they eject electrons and these electrons are captured by the oil drops, giving them a net negative charge. See what I mean?

[kekeedme]

@zabuzamomochi55 Yes. So you can adjust the electric field strength to balance gravity pull as well. By the way, are you a Naruto fan lol. I ask because of the username lol. It's a good show

[zabuzamomochi55]

@kekeedme as the oil drops get nearer to the negative plate, it repels and goes towards the positive plate?

[chizoioioi]

the key to me not getting it when my teacher explained it was that she didn't say the electric ray was negative electrons. that left me wondering how the heck did they become negative

[sondralovesmusic]

Read about this experiment and my prof lectured on it, but I didn't understand it until I watched this video. THANK YOU!

[darc1993th]

I think there's a little bit mistake in your video

the positive plate should be in the bottom one, cause electric field come from positive to negative plates, so the electric force (up) = gravitation (down)

[FPxNoOb]

your*