Determination od specific charge on an electron

Sajag Kumar (2011143)1, ∗

1
School of Physical Sciences, National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER), Bhubaneswar 752050, India
(Dated: November 17, 2021)
In this experiment we measure the ratio of charge on an electron to its mass. We fire an electron
perpendicular to a magnetic field produced by a pair of Helmholtz coil and observe the radius of its
circular trajectory under different circumstances. First we vary the current in the coils and measure
the corresponding change in radius, the value of specific charge came out to be (1.929 ± 0.072) × 1011
Ckg −1 , this is within 2σ of the literature value. Next we keep the current in the coils constant and
vary the potential, the value of specific charge came out to be, (1.729 ± 0.051) × 1011 Ckg −1 , this
value is within 1σ of the literature value.

I. THEORY the force due to magnetic field is balanced by centripetal

forces we have:
In 1887, J. J. Thompson determined the charge on v2
an electron using very sophisticated experimental tech- F = me . (2)
r
niques. The other thing that is very important for us
to find is the mass of an electron. However, the mass of And hence we have:
an electron is too small to directly measure by table-top e v
experiments hence we do an experiment to find the elec- = . (3)
me rB
tron’s specific charge. The specific charge is the ratio of
the charge on the electron to its mass.
B. Electrons accelerated by a potential U

A. Charged particle in a magnetic field When electrons are accelerated by applying a potential
U. The resulting kinetic energy is given by:
1
eU = me v 2 . (4)
2
From eq (3) and eq (4):
e 2U
= . (5)
me (rB)2

C. Magnetic field generated by a pair of helmholtz

coils

The magnetic field generated by a pair of Helmholtz

coils is twice the field generated by a single coil. If R is
the radius of each coil and I is the current flowing through
each of them having N turns, then the magnetic field due
to both the coils at a distance x = R/2 is given as:
FIG. 1. Electron’s trajectory in a magnetic field when fired R2 4 3 µo IN
perpendicular to the field. B = µo N I 3 = ( )2 = kI. (6)
(R2 + x2 ) 2 5 R
In absence of external forces the force on an electron Here,
moving with velocity v in a magnetic field B is given by:
4 3 µo N
F = e(v × B) (1) k = ( )2 . (7)
5 R
where, e is the charge on the electron. If the velocity of
The value of µo = 1.2566 × 10−6 N A−2 .
electron is perpendicular to the magnetic field the elec-
The final equation for specific charge from eq (5) and
tron takes a circular path as shown in FIG. 1. Since
eq (6) is:
e 2U
∗ sajag.kumar@niser.ac.in = . (8)
me (rkI)2
 2

U (V) 2r (cm) r (cm)

200 5.65 2.825
210 5.8 2.9
220 6.05 3.025
230 6.15 3.075
240 6.25 3.125
250 6.4 3.2
260 6.55 3.275
FIG. 2. Picture of the experimental setup. 270 6.7 3.35
280 6.8 3.4
290 7 3.5
Which can be written as: 300 7.2 3.6
1 e k2 I 2
= (9) TABLE II. For varying radius with changing potential. I =
r 2 me 2U 2A.
and
e (rkI)2
U= . (10)
me 2

IV. DATA ANALYSIS

II. APPARATUS

The following apparatus were used for the experiment.

1. Narrow electron beam tube of diameter 0.16 m,
1 (per sq. m)

800

filled with hydrogen gas at pressure 1 Pa. Recorded Data

Fitted Line
700
r^2

2. Pair of Helmholtz coils.

600

3. Holder for the entire assembly.

500

4. Measuring device for beam diameter.

400

5. DC power supply for electron beam system.

300

6. DC power supply for Helmohltz coils.

1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4
I^2 (in sq. A)

III. OBSERVATIONS FIG. 3. I 2 vs r12 at constant U = 300V. Slope of the line (sU )
= 195.13 ± 7.34 (Am)−2 .
1. Number of turns of each coil = 130.
2. Radius of Helmholtz coil = 0.15 m.
3. From eq (7) we have k = 7.7926 × 10−4 N A−2 m−1 .
U (in volts)

300

I (A) 2r (cm) r (cm) 280

1.2 12.5 6.25
1.3 11.4 5.7 260

1.4 10.6 5.3

240
1.5 9.9 4.95 Recorded Data

1.6 9.3 4.65 220

Fitted Line

1.7 8.9 4.45

1.8 8.2 4.1 200

1.9 7.8 3.9 0.0008 0.0009 0.001 0.0011 0.0012 0.0013

r^2 (in sq. m)
2 7.15 3.575

TABLE I. For varying radius with changing current. U = FIG. 4. U vs r2 at constant I = 2A. Slope of the line (sI ) =
300V . 209959 ± 6233 V m−2 .
 3

From eq (9) and value of k from observation 3. we V. RESULTS

have:
e  
( )U = 1.929 × 1011 Ckg −1 . 1. e
me = (1.929 ± 0.072) × 1011 Ckg −1 .
me U

From eq (10) and value of k from observation 3. we have:

e
( )I = 1.729 × 1011 Ckg −1 .
 
me 2. e
me = (1.729 ± 0.051) × 1011 Ckg −1 .
I

A. Errors [3]

VI. CONCLUSION
 
e 2U
δ = 2 δ(sU )
me U k
 
e We obtained the specific charge on the electron by two
δ = 0.072 × 1011 Ckg −1 .
me U methods. The method in which we kept the current con-
stant and varied potential gave a more precise value (it
And. lies within 1σ of the literature value). The specific charge

e

2 from other method lines within 2σ of the literature value.
δ = δ(sU ) Some errors sources may be deviation of electron form a
me I (kI)2 pure 2D circular path due to varying fields at the center
 
e of Helmholtz coil. Parallax in measuring the radius and
δ = 0.051 × 1011 Ckg −1 .
me I systematic errors.

[1] D. J. Griffiths, Introduction to Electrodynamics, 3rd ed. [3] J. R. Taylor, An Introduction to Error Analysis, 2nd ed.
(Prentice Hall, 1999). (University Science Books, 1997).
[2] Specific Charge of Electron, National Institute of Science
Education and Research Bhubaneswar.