Experiment: find electron charge with circuit

In summary, a circuit experiment can be used to find the charge of an electron by measuring the current and voltage in the circuit. By manipulating the variables and using Ohm's Law, the charge of the electron can be calculated. This experiment is important in understanding the fundamental properties of electricity and has practical applications in fields such as electronics and telecommunications.
  • #1
phyin
7
0
does anyone know of ANY experiment that uses circuit to find charge of an electron? If so, do you have link? I'm trying to figure out how it would work in essence. any input would be great.
 
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  • #2
phyin said:
does anyone know of ANY experiment that uses circuit to find charge of an electron? If so, do you have link? I'm trying to figure out how it would work in essence. any input would be great.

I googled Electron Charge, and got some useful hits. The first hit is from wikipedia, and would appear to describe some experiments:

http://www.google.com/search?source...=1T4GGLL_enUS301US302&q=charge+of+an+electron
 
  • #3
tried that didn't get me anywhere.
 
  • #4
phyin,

In order to measure the charge of an electron you need some fairly complicated laboratory equipment. Here is an example from George Mason University:

"In this experiment we will measure a fundamental property of the electron, the ratio of
its charge to its mass.
In the experiment, a beam of electrons accelerated by a potential difference is bent into
a circular path by a magnetic field. The beam is in a glass container containing a small
amount of gas of a fluorescent molecule. Some of the electrons in the beam collide with
these molecules, and this results in the emission of light. This process produces a visible track corresponding to the electron beam, so the radius of curvature of the electrons may be measured by eye. By also measuring the accelerating voltage of the electrons, and the strength of the magnetic field the electron's charge to mass ratio is determined.”

See: physics.gmu.edu/~ellswort/p263/eoverm.pdf
 
  • #6
You can measure shot noise in some electronic device.
 

Related to Experiment: find electron charge with circuit

What is the purpose of the experiment?

The purpose of this experiment is to determine the charge of an electron by using a circuit and measuring the voltage and current.

What materials are needed for this experiment?

The materials needed for this experiment include a power source, wires, resistors, an ammeter, a voltmeter, and a circuit board.

How do you set up the circuit for the experiment?

The circuit should be set up with the power source connected to the circuit board, and the ammeter and voltmeter connected in series with a resistor. The voltage and current should be measured at different points in the circuit to determine the electron charge.

What is the expected result of the experiment?

The expected result of the experiment is to obtain a value for the electron charge that is close to the accepted value of 1.602 x 10^-19 coulombs.

What are the potential sources of error in this experiment?

Potential sources of error in this experiment include inaccurate measurements, resistance in the wires, and external factors such as temperature or electromagnetic interference.

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