(IseF's

Munual

FRANK HERTZ EXPERIMENT

Model: FH-3001

Manufactured by:

SES lnstruments Pvt" Ltd.

452, Adarsih Nagar,
Roork ee-247 667 U K Ph 01 332-?.72852, Fax ' 277 1 18 Email : info@sesteqh no. com

lso

G@, 9001

ISO 9001: 2008 CERTIFIED

sestech

io.

india@g mail. com

Website. www. sestech no. com

INTRODUCTION

From the early spectroscopic work it is clear that atoms emitted radiation at discrete frequencies; from Bohr's model, the frequency of the radiation v is related to the :hange of energy levels through AE:hv. It is then to be expected that transfer of energy to atomic electrons by any mechanism should always be in discrete amounts. One such nlechanism of energy transfer is through inelastic scattering of low-energy electrons. Frank andHertz in r9r4 set out to verify these considerations.

(i) It is possible to excite atoms by low energy electron bombardment.

(ii)
The energy transferred from electrons to the atoms always had discrete values.
energy spectroscopic results.

(iii) The values so obtained for the

levels were

in agreement with

Thus the existence of atomic energy levels put forward by Bohr can be proved directly' It is a very important experiment and can be performed in any college or Universify level lab.

srvitched
OPERATING PRINCIPLE
The Frank-Hertz tube in this instrument is a tetrode filled with the vapour of the experimental substance Fig. 1 indicates the basic scheme of experiment.

ticularly

Nanoammeter

The electrons emitted by

filament can be accelerated by the
potential Vczr between the cathode and the grid Gz. The grid Gr helps

vczn

in minimising space charge effects. vczrc The grids are wire mesh and allcw the electrons to pass through. The plate A is maintained at a potential slightly negative with respect to the grid Gz. This helps in making the dips in the plate current more prominent. In this experiment, the electron current is measured as a Fig I ftinction of the voltage Vc2r. As the voltage increases, the electron energy goes up and so the electron can overcome the retarding potential V6ra to reach the plate A. This gives rise to a current in the ammeter, which initially increases. As the voltage further increases, the electron energy reaches the threshold value to excite the atom in its first allowed excited state. In Ooing so, the electrons lose energy and therefore the number of electrons reaching the plate d"..r.ur.r. This decrease is proportional to the number of inelastic collisions that have occurred. When the V6r6 is increased further and reaches a value twice that of the first excitation

Fig. 3 Plot of Beam CurrentVs. Accelarting Voltage in Frank HerE b(Periment, FH'300{
1400

1200
09 F

o
x
o L
L J
1

000

+, g

800

o
E

fc

(E

600

o L +,
EI

o (t,

400

2AA

30

40

50

60

70

Acce larating Voltage V*^(V)

Fig.

4 Oscilloscope

display of Frank-Hertz Experiment

potential,
t,e

it is

possible

for an

electron to excite an atom halfway

: f configuration of the potential is :rat the current dips are much more ironounced, and it is easy to obtain :li'e fold or even larger multiplicity :n the excitation of the first level.

nveen the grids, loose all its cnerg)', and then gain anew enough Vczx ::l:rsv to excite a second dip in the : -:rrenr. The advantage of this flpe

Frank-Hertz Experiment Set-up, Model : FH-3001, consists of the following :

Fig. 2: Configuration of the potential in Frank-He rtz Arrangement

. r r r e . .
o

Argon filled tetrode

Filament power supply :2.6 - 3.4v continuousry variabre Power Supply for V6,K : i.3
_

5V continuously variable

Power Supply for V6ra : 1.3 _ l2V continuously variable Power Supply for V6r6 : 0 _ 95V continuously variable
Saw tooth waveform for CRO display Scanning Voltage : 0 _ 95lt ScanningFrequency : il5 t20Hz.

Multirange Digital Voltmeter

Range : 0 _ I00V,with 10096 over Display: 3 % digit 7-segment LED with auto polarity and decimal indication

Multirange Digital Ammeter

Range

:0_
%

Display:3

digit

100,0-10 pA &0_tpA 7_segment LED with auto polarity

experiment as well as for demonstration to a group of students.

The instrument can not only lead to a plot of the amplitude spectrum curve by of point by point measurement, but also directly display the amplitude spectrum curve on the oscilloscope screen. This instrument can thus be used as a classroom
means

ANALYSIS OF THE DATA

Data obtained for the excitation potential point by point are shown in Fig. 3. The reading are taken for lV changes on grid 2 (Vor*). A significant decrease in electron

(collector) current is noticed every time the potential on grid 2 is increased by approximately lZY, thereby indicating that eneigy is transferred from the beam in (bundles) quanta of 12 eV only. Indeed, a promineniiine in the spectrum of argon exists at 1048A corresponding to eV=l1.83.
peaks

The location of the peaks is indicated in Fig. 3. Average value of spacing between is I 1.75 ev compared with the accepted varui of t t.s:vl

(bundles) quanta of 12 eV only. Indeed, a prominent line in the spectrum of argon exists at 1048,{ corresponding to eV=l 1.83.
between peaks is 11.75

The location of the peaks is indicated in Fig. 3. Average value of spacing ev compared with the accepted value of 1l.g3v.

UNPACKING
Unpack the instrument carefully and check the accessories with the packing list. The instrument is checked thoroughly before dispatch, damage/shortage,li any should be reported immediately.

Take out the Frank-Hertz Tube from its window-marked 'Frank-Hertz Tube Window' byremoving its cover.

12 3

13 14 g

PANEL CONTROLS AND THEIR FUNCTIONS

1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7)
8) e)

Ammeter Voltmeter Manual - Auto Switch Scanning Voltage Knob

Filament Voltage Knob Current Multiplier Knob Voltage Display Selector: Vc,x, Vnro or V6r6
VG16

Adjust knob : 1.3 - 5V

: :

Vnro Adjust Knob

1.3

- 15 V

10) Vcr^ Adjust knob

0-80v

11) Power Switch 12) Y-Output Terminal

13) 15)

Ground Terminal

14) X-output Terminal

Power Lead 16) Frank Hertz Tube 17) Frank-Hertz Tube Window

INSTALLATION

'Vo,*, Yczo & V6rp are working properly. For this proceed

Before the Frank-Hertz tube is put in its socket, make sure the power suppliesas

follows.

1.

Put all the control knobs (scanning voltage v6,K, Filament voltage vcze

&

Accelerating voltage v6rK Knobs) to their minimum position by rotating anticlockwise.

2. Turn the Manual-Auto switch to Manual 3. Tum Voltage Display Selector to V6,s and rotate the V6,6 knob clockwise

to see if the

power supply is working properly. Similarly tum the Voltage Display Selector to V6ra and V6rK and check if these power supplies are also O.K.

4.

Switch 'OFF' the power and put Frank-Hertz tube in the socket. As the tube is delicate and very expensive this operation must be handled very carefulty and by a technical hand only.
The instrument is now ready

for operation

OPERATIN G INSTRUCTIONS
1)

Before the power is switched 'ON' make sure all the control knobs are at their minimum position and Current Multiplier knob at 10-7 position. Switch 'ON' the power.

2)
3)

Turn the Manual-Auto switch to Manual, and check that the Scanning voltage Knob is at its minimum position. Tum Voltage Display Selector to V6,s and adjust the
reads 1.5V.

4)

v6,r

knob until voltmeter

5)

Turn voltage Display Selector to v6ra and adjust the v6ra knob until
voltmeter read 7 .5.

the

When you have finished step 1-5, you are ready to do the experiment with following parameters.
Filament Voltage
Ve ,x
"1

mid position
1,5 V 7.5 V

Ve/
v" r^

OV
10-7 A

Current Multiplier

These are suggested values for the experiment. The experiment can be done

with other values also.

6)

Rotate V6r6 knob and observe the variation of plate current with the increase

of

V6r6. The current reading would show maxima and minima periodically. The magnitude of maxima could be adjusted suitably by adjusting the filament voltage and the value of current Multiplier. Now take the systematic readings, v6r6 vs. plate current. For better resolution, the reading may be taken at a interval of lV.

Plot the graph with output current on Y-axis and accelerating voltage V6r6 at Xaxis.

7)

Tum the Manual-Auto switch to 'Auto', connect the instruments y, G, X sockets to Y, G X of oscilloscope. Put the Scanning Range switch of oscilloscope to X-y mode/external 'X'' Switch on the power of oscill,oscope, adjust the y and X shift to make the scan base line on the bottcim of screen. Rotate the .Scanning Knob, of the instrument and observe the wave-form on the oscilloscope screen. Adjust the 'Y-gain' and 'X-gain' of oscilloscope to make wave-form ciear and y amplitude moderate' Rotate the scanning potentiometer clockwise. to end. Then the maximum scan voltage is 85V. Measure the horizontal distance between the peaks' The distance of two consecutive peaks (count the grids) and multiply itby Y/grid factor (X-gain) of oscilloscope. This would give the vaiue of argon atom,s first excitation potential in eV.

PREGAUTION

1)

same range.

Before taking the systematic readings, gradually increase the value of V621 to a maximum' Adjust the filament voltage ifrequirei such that max. readings is about 1000 on Xl0-8 range. This will insure that all the readings could be taken

in the

2) 3) 4)

suddenly, decrease the voltage at once to avoid the damage of the fube.

During the experiment (manual),. when the voltage is over 60v, pleas e pay attention to the output current indicator, If the ammeter reading increases

Whenever the Filament Voltage is changed, please allow 2/3 minutes for its stabilisation.

tube.

When the Frank-Hertz Tube is already in the socket, please make sure the following before the power is switched ioN' o. ,oFF,, to avoid damage to the

a)

Multiplier knob at l0-7.

knob u.t 1t. minimum position (rotate it anticl,ockwise) and

Manual -. Auto switch is on Manual and Scanning and Filament Voltage

Current

b) Vc,r, VcrR, and V6rK all the three knobs are at their minirnum position.
PACKING LIST

l) 2) 3) 4)

Frank-Hertz Main Unit Frank-Hertz Tube

Set of wires for connecting Frank-Hertz Main

unit to oscilloscope

Operating Instruction Manual