Question

A chemist in an imaginary universe, where electrons have a different charge than they do in our universe, performs the millikan oil drop experiment to measure the electron's charge. the charges of several drops are recorded below. what is the charge of the electron in this imaginary universe?

Answer 1

Millikan experiment consisted in finding the minimum possible charge by obtaining the tiniest drop possible.

Then, he inferred that was the charge of the electron, given that it was not possible to find a lower charge.

Given these recorded data:

- 6.9 * 10^-19

- 9.2 * 10^-19

- 11.5 * 10^-19

- 4.6 * 10^-19

You must find a number that divide the four data and yields a whole number.

This number is -2.3 * 10^ -19.

In that way you find:

 - 6.9 * 10^-19 / -2.3 * 10 ^ -19 = 3 => 3 electrons

- 9.2 * 10^-19 / -2.3 * 10^-19 = 4 => 4 electrons

- 11.5 * 10^-19 / -2.3 * 10^ -19 = 5 => 5 electrons

- 4.6 * 10^-19 / -2.3 * 10^ -19 = 2 => 2 electrons

And you can conclude that the charge of the electron is -2.3 * 10 ^ -19

Answer: -2.3 * 10^ -19