Franck-Hertz Experiment 20/09/19, 11(01 PM

The Franck-Hertz Experiment*

In 1914, James Franck and Gustav Hertz performed an experiment which demonstrated the
existence of excited states in mercury atoms, helping to confirm the quantum theory which
predicted that electrons occupied only discrete, quantized energy states. Electrons were
accelerated by a voltage toward a positively charged grid in a glass envelope filled with
mercury vapor. Past the grid was a collection plate held at a small negative voltage with
respect to the grid. The values of accelerating voltage where the current dropped gave a
measure of the energy necessary to force an electron to an excited state.

Index

*Nobel Prize in physics, 1925

Further discussion Sketch of apparatus Data for mercury Data for neon

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The Franck-Hertz Experiment

Electrons are accelerated in the Franck-Hertz apparatus and the collected current rises with
accelerated voltage. As the Franck-Hertz data shows, when the accelerating voltage
reaches 4.9 volts, the current sharply drops, indicating the sharp onset of a new
phenomenon which takes enough energy away from the electrons that they cannot reach Index
the collector. This drop is attributed to inelastic collisions between the accelerated
electrons and atomic electrons in the mercury atoms. The sudden onset suggests that the Franck-
mercury electrons cannot accept energy until it reaches the threshold for elevating them to Hertz
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Franck-Hertz Experiment 20/09/19, 11(01 PM

an excited state. This 4.9 volt excited state corresponds to a strong line in the ultraviolet Experiment
emission spectrum of mercury at 254 nm (a 4.9eV photon). Drops in the collected current
occur at multiples of 4.9 volts since an accelerated electron which has 4.9 eV of energy
removed in a collision can be re-accelerated to produce other such collisions at multiples
of 4.9 volts. This experiment was strong confirmation of the idea of quantized atomic
energy levels.

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Sketch of Franck-Hertz Apparatus

Index

Franck-
Hertz
Experiment

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Franck-Hertz Data for Mercury

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Franck-Hertz Experiment 20/09/19, 11(01 PM

This original Franck-

Hertz data shows
electrons losing 4.9 eV
per collision with
mercury atoms. It is
possible to observe ten
sequential bumps at
intervals of 4.9 volts.

Sketch of apparatus Index

Further discussion Franck-

Hertz
Experiment

The Franck-Hertz display for mercury

shown at left was formed by sweeping
the accelerating voltage and recording
current vs voltage on an oscilloscope in
x-y mode. The measured separation of
the peaks corresponds to the excitation
energy of the involved mercury
transition.

Data by Jason Lee and Bruce Rountree

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Franck-Hertz Data for Neon

For Neon gas, the process of absorbing energy
from electron collisions produces visible
evidence. When the accelerated electrons

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Franck-Hertz Experiment 20/09/19, 11(01 PM

excite the electrons in neon to upper states,

they de-excite in such a way as to produce a
visible glow in the gas region in which the
excitation is taking place. There are about ten
excited levels in the range 18.3 to 19.5 eV.
They de-excite by dropping to lower states at
16.57 and 16.79 eV. This energy difference
gives light in the visible range. Since the
accelerated electrons undergo inelastic Index
collisions with the neon and are then
accelerated again, they can undergo a series of Franck-
such collisions if the accelerating voltage is
Hertz
high enough. The accelerating voltage from
Experiment
the Franck-Hertz apparatus used to produce
the picture was capable of producing and
accelerating voltage of about 80 volts, so you
could get up to four collisions. This can be
seen under proper conditions as four bands of
light from the de-excitation in the collison
regions.

The Franck-Hertz display for neon shown at

left was formed by sweeping the accelerating
voltage and recording current vs voltage on an
x-y plot. The measured separation of the peaks
corresponds to about the midpoint of the range
of excitation energies of the involved neon
transitions.

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