THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES

ST. AUGUSTINE

FACULTY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS
PHYS 1223 - Introduction to Electricity
and Magnetism
Laboratory Manual
THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES
ST. AUGUSTINE

FACULTY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS
PHYS 1223 - Introduction to Electricity
and Magnetism
Laboratory Manual
 © Copyright the Department of Physics

All Rights Reserved

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO STUDENTS

You are hereby prohibited from reproducing, re-publishing, re-broadcasting, reposting, re-
transmitting, or transferring in whole or in part any Course Outlines, Course Materials or
Lectures which have been provided to you as part of your course of study at The University of
the West Indies (The UWI), without the prior permission of The UWI its authorised agents or
copyright holders.
LAB. 2. MOTION OF CHARGED PARTICLES IN ELECTRIC
AND MAGNETIC FIELDS

OBJECTIVES

1. To investigate the behaviour of charged particles when in electric and magnetic fields.
(Experiment 1)
2. To calculate the charge to mass ratio of a moving charge in a magnetic field.
(Experiment 1)

3. To observe the motion of charged particles using a C.R.O. (Demonstration)

1|Page
 EXPERIMENT 1:
ELECTRON CHARGE-TO-MASS RATIO

OBJECTIVES

1. To investigate the behaviour of charged particles when in electric and magnetic fields.

2. To calculate the charge to mass ratio of a moving charge in a magnetic field.

INTRODUCTION
In 1887, J.J. Thomson showed that the mysterious cathode rays were actually negatively
charged particles - he had discovered the electron. In the same year he measured the specific
charge (e/m) of the cathode ray particles, providing the first measurement of one of the
fundamental constants of the universe. The specific charge is defined as the charge per unit
mass of the particle. Thomson discovered that the value of e/m was independent of the gas used
and also independent of the nature of the electrodes (PASCO 2021).
The Electron Charge-to-Mass Ratio apparatus provides a simple method for measuring
the charge to mass ratio of the electron, e/m. The method is similar to that used by J.J.
Thompson in 1897. A beam of electrons is accelerated through a known potential, so the
velocity of the electrons is known. A pair of Helmholtz coils produces a uniform and
measurable magnetic field at right angles to the electron beam. This magnetic field deflects the
electron beam in a circular path (Department of Physics 2019).
In the e/m tube, the electrons move along a circular path in a uniform magnetic field.
The tube contains helium gas at a precisely set pressure. The gas atoms are ionized along the
length of the circular path due to collisions with electrons. As a result, they are excited and
emit light, thereby indirectly making the circular path of the electrons visible. The radius of the
path can then be measured directly with a ruler. Since the accelerating voltage U of the electron
gun and the magnetic field B are known, it is possible to calculate the specific charge of an
electron e/m from the radius of the circular path r (PASCO 2021).
An electron moving with velocity v in a direction perpendicular to a uniform magnetic
field B experiences a Lorentz force F in a direction perpendicular to both the velocity and the
magnetic field,

𝑭 = 𝒆𝒗𝑩

2|Page
where e is the charge on an electron.

This force becomes the centripetal force causing the electron to move in a circular path with
radius r, where
𝒎𝒗𝟐
𝑭= ,
𝒓

and m is the mass of an electron (PASCO 2021).

Figure 1: Charged particle in a magnetic field (PASCO 2021)

Thus, 𝒆𝑩𝒓 = 𝒎𝒗. The velocity v depends on the accelerating voltage U of the electron gun:

𝒆
𝒗𝟐 = 𝟐𝑼 .
𝒎

Therefore, the specific charge of an electron is given by:

𝒆 𝟐𝑼
= 𝟐 𝟐.
𝒎 𝑩 𝒓
If we measure the radius of the circular orbit in each case for different accelerating voltages U
and different magnetic fields B, then, according to the equation, the measured values can be
plotted in a graph of 𝑩𝟐 𝒓𝟐 against 𝟐𝑼 as a straight line through the origin with slope m/e.

3|Page
APPARATUS

Figure 2: Apparatus for e/m experiment (PASCO 2021)

Equipment List (PASCO 2021)
Equipment Quantity
1. e/m Tube 1
2. Helmholtz Coils and Base 2
3. Mirrored Scale 1
4. Tunable DC (Constant Voltage) Power Supply II, 12 V/ 100 V/ 200 V 1
5. Tunable DC (Constant Current) Power Supply, 3.5 A/ 6.3 V 1
6. Connecting Cables, 850 mm, red Set of 5
7. Connecting Cables, 850 mm, black Set of 5

SIMULATION
Measure e/m simulation –
https://virtuelle-experimente.de/en/b-feld/e-m-bestimmung/edurchm.php
(virtuelle-experimente.de 2021)
Note: This simulation will be used to collect results similar to that which would be obtained by
the apparatus highlighted above.

4|Page
A

B
E

C
F
D

Figure 3: Measure e/m Simulation

• Slider A – adjusts the acceleration voltage, U. Measured in volts.
• Slider B – adjusts the current, IH. Measured in amperes.
• Button C – turns the measuring circle on or off.
• Slider D – adjusts the radius, r, of the measuring circle.
• Circle E – the measuring circle.
• Circle F – the orbit of the electron in a magnetic field.

PROCEDURE
1. Open the simulation.
2. Set the acceleration voltage U to 100V using Slider A and record value in Table 1.
3. Use Slider B to increase the current IH and observe the electron beam. Observe that
the electron beam curves upwards. Continue increasing the current until the electron
beam forms a closed circle and record the current value in Table 1.
4. Use Button C to turn on the measuring circle.
5. Use Slider D to adjust the size of the measuring circle to the orbit of the electron.
6. Measure the radius r of the electron beam using the measuring circle and record in
Table 1.
7. Repeat steps 2 – 7 for 4 more different values of the acceleration voltage. Record
corresponding current and radius values.

5|Page
 Sample Table 1
Trial U (V) IH (A) r (cm) B (T) e/m (C/kg)
1
2
3
4
5

Average e/m =
Sample Table 2
Trial 2U (V) B2r2
1
2
3
4
5

ANALYSIS
The magnetic field B generated in a pair of Helmholtz coils is proportional to the current IH
passing through a single coil. This relationship is seen in the equation below:

𝟑
𝟒 𝟐
( ) 𝝁𝟎 𝑵𝑰𝑯
𝑩= 𝟓 ,
𝑹
where R is the coil radius and N is the number of turns on the coil.

Using this equation for B, the initial formula for e/m,

𝒆 𝟐𝑼
= 𝟐 𝟐
𝒎 𝑩 𝒓
becomes:

𝟓 𝟑
𝒆 (𝟒) 𝑹𝟐
= 𝟐𝑼
𝒎 (𝑵𝝁𝟎 𝑰𝑯 𝒓)𝟐
R = 149 mm and N =124 turns per coil

U = Acceleration Voltage

R = Radius of the Helmholtz coils

6|Page
N = Number of turns on each coil

𝜇0 = Permeability constant (4𝜋 × 10−7 )

IH = Current through the Helmholtz coils

r = Radius of the electron beam (closed circle)

Accepted value of charge-to-mass ratio, e/m, is 𝟏. 𝟕𝟔 × 𝟏𝟎𝟏𝟏 C kg-1.

1. Calculate the magnetic field, B and the charge-to-mass ratio, e/m from discrete values.
2. Plot graph of B2r2 vs 2U and determine the charge-to-mass ratio, e/m.

DEMONSTRATION:
MOTION OF CHARGED PARTICLES IN A MAGNETIC
FIELD

Using MCP Video 1, view the demonstration of the motion of the electron beam when
interacting with a permanent magnet and discuss.

7|Page
 APPLICATION:
CATHODE RAY OSCILLOSCOPE

OBJECTIVE

1. To observe the motion of charged particles using a C.R.O.

INTRODUCTION

Figure 4: Simplified Block Diagram of an Oscilloscope

Figure 5: Image of the C.R.O.

8|Page
The Cathode Ray Oscilloscope
The simplified circuit diagram of Figure 4 shows that the oscilloscope essentially consists of a
cathode ray tube (CRT) to which are connected x and y amplifier circuits, a synchronization
circuit, a sweep generator, and blanking amplifier (Department of Physics 2019).

The CRT
Certain chemicals, known as phosphors, emit visible light when bombarded by swiftly moving
electrons. This phenomenon is exploited in the CRT which consists of an evacuated glass
vessel, usually pear-shaped, containing an arrangement of electrodes in the narrow end (not
shown) termed the ‘electron gun’. From this a stream of electrons produced by thermionic
emission is accelerated towards the flattened, wider end by means of a high energy electric
field. The internal surface of this end is coated with a suitable phosphor, usually zinc sulphide.
The electron gun is also used to focus the electron beam in the same manner as a lens focusses
a beam of light. The gun controls the intensity of the beam which in turn determines the
brightness of the spot on the screen (Department of Physics 2019).

Figure 6: Simplified Diagram of a Cathode Ray Tube (Gibbs 2013)

Beam Deflection

If an electric field is established between two parallel flat plates located between the electron
gun and screen, one on either side of the axis of the tube, the electron beam will be attracted
towards the positive plate and repelled from the negative plate. The spot on the screen will be
deflected, by an amount proportional to the voltage on the plates. This process is called
‘electrostatic deflection’. If two such electric fields are established, one vertical and one

9|Page
horizontal, the spot may be directed to any point on the screen by suitable adjustment of the
deflecting voltages. The spot may also be deflected by ‘magnetic deflection’ where coils are
used instead of plates (Department of Physics 2019).

Screen Characteristics

Phosphors differ in their sensitivity (i.e. in the amount of luminous energy radiated for a given
amount of excitation energy), in the colour of the emitted light and in the persistence of the
luminescence. With a short persistence phosphor, the luminescence stops within a few
microseconds of the excitation ceasing. Screen materials are commonly sulphides of zinc or
cadmium activated by small traces of pure metal such as copper or manganese which determine
the colour and persistence of the luminescence (Department of Physics 2019). Figure 5 shows
typical phosphor characteristics. You should try to learn more about Phosphors, Electron
Optics, electrostatic and magnetic deflection, and thermionic emission.

Use MCP Video 2 to observe how the electron beam on the C.R.O. screen is manipulated.

REFERENCES

Department of Physics. 2019. Introductory Physics Laboratory Manual PHYS 1223. St.
Augustine: University of the West Indies.
Halliday, David, Robert Resnick, and Jearl Walker. 2014. Fundamentals of Physics. John
Wiley & Sons Inc.
PASCO. 2021. Electron Charge-to-Mass Ratio Model SE-9629. Roseville, CA: PASCO
scientific.
Tektronix Inc. 1988. 2205 Oscilloscope Service Manual. Oregon: Arktek Media.

10 | P a g e