LAB REPORT # 4

Electron Charge-to-Mass Ratio

Submitted BY: Group 8

 Hamna Shoukat
 Dania Riaz
 Musab Khalil Ahmed
 M. Uzair
 Ibrar Khan
Experiment:
Calculating charge to mass ratio of electrons using Helmholtz Coils.

Abstract:
The coils around the spherical glass create magnetic field for electrons to accelerate in a
circular path. The radius of that circle can be used to calculate the e to m ratio of electrons
using classical electrodynamics.

Theory:
Electrons are inspired by magnetic field and it accelerates electrons in a circular path. As we
know from the work of Maxwell that when electrons accelerate, they radiate
electromagnetic wave (or light). That path is tailed behind these electrons and that light
makes a circle. The scale behind the spherical shell is used to calculate the radius of the
circle, and then e to m ratio can be calculated using the derived formula:

e/m = 2UR2(125/64) / (μ0NIHr)2

Block Diagram:

Observations and Calculations:

S. No. U(V) I(A) R(mm) e / m Ratio calculated % ERROR

1 190 2 2.5 1.79 x 1011 -1.78

2 190 1.9 2.4 1.76 x 1011 0.11

3 190 1.8 2.25 1.77 x 1011 0.68

4 190 1.7 2.13 1.73 x 1011 1.59

5 190 1.6 2.0 1.70 x 1011 3.3

Conclusion:
In this lab, we obtained charge to mass ratio of an electron with minimal error.