The Franck-Hertz Eksperimen

The Franck-Hertz experiment, first undertaken shortly after Bohr’s theory of the atom was
presented, provided one of the early indications that atoms had discrete energy levels. In this
experiment, electrons are accelerated and pass through mercury vapor, where they lose energy
by inelastic scattering in quantized steps as they excite mercury atoms from the ground state to
an excited state. This elegant experiment yielded remarkable results that were key in the early
developments of quantum theory

In 1913 James Franck and Gustav Hertz demonstrated the possibility to prove the existence of discrete
energy levels in atoms by means of atomic collisional processes. Thus the Franck-Hertz experiment
combines the physics of collision with the results of optical spectroscopy. Its result indicates that atoms
can only absorb a discrete amount of energy, regardless the way the energy is transferred to the atom.
Using a setup similar to that of Franck and Hertz we will observe the quantized excitation of mercury
atoms by means of electronic impact. We will measure the characteristic anode current and
photocurrent for different sets of parameters like temperature and countervoltage. On the basis of this
data we will determine the excitation voltage of the 3P level of mercury1

Electrons are accelerated in the Franck-Hertz apparatus and the collected current rises with accelerated
voltage. As the Franck-Hertz data shows, when the accelerating voltage reaches 4.9 volts, the current
sharply drops, indicating the sharp onset of a new phenomenon which takes enough energy away from
the electrons that they cannot reach the collector. This drop is attributed to inelastic collisions between
the accelerated electrons and atomic electrons in the mercury atoms. The sudden onset suggests that
the mercury electrons cannot accept energy until it reaches the threshold for elevating them to an
excited state. This 4.9 volt excited state corresponds to a strong line in the ultraviolet emission spectrum
of mercury at 254 nm (a 4.9eV photon). Drops in the collected current occur at multiples of 4.9 volts
since an accelerated electron which has 4.9 eV of energy removed in a collision can be re-accelerated to
produce other such collisions at multiples of 4.9 volts. This experiment was strong confirmation of the
idea of quantized atomic energy levels.

1
Joachimi, Benjamin. 2005. Report On Franck-Hertz Eksperiment. Journal.
This original Franck-Hertz data shows electrons losing 4.9 eV per collision with mercury atoms. It is
possible to observe ten sequential bumps at intervals of 4.9 volts.

Data for mercury:2

2
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/FrHz.html.