PRAYASH KAFLE

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Asked Questions

Why specific charge for positive rays much smaller that that of cathode rays?

Specific charge is the ratio of a particle's charge to its mass.

Since, the mass of an electron is about 1/1837 times that of the mass of a proton. Its mass is much smaller than the proton.

A positive ray contains alpha particles (doubly ionized He nucleus). Its mass is much larger than that of an electron so, the greater electronic charge has negligible effect as compared to its mass, and the specific charge is much smaller than that of the electrons.

1. Can we perform Millikan's experiment with drop of any size?

No, it is not advised to perform Millikan's oil drop experiment with drops of any size due to limitations of experimental accuracy.

When we use a drop of larger size (as compared to microscopic sizes), they will have comparatively higher velocity which is difficult to detect.

Similarly, a large electric field should be applied to move the drop towards the positive terminal against gravity.