Physics Lab 3

Vidit Shukla
201951167
Sec 2-B
Aim: - To perform oil drop experiment in a simulation environment
and calculate the charge on ten different oil drops and then analyse
the result.
Formulas Used
M=k(Vt)2
Mg =qE
Where
• M=mass of oil drop
• Q = charge on oil drop
• Vt= terminal velocity
• E = electric field between the planes
• K = 4.086*10-17
Observation Table: -
No. Terminal Mass(10^- Voltage Electric Charge on oil drop(10^-19) Charge on an
Velocity 17) Field electron(10^-19)
1 1.41 8.1233766 40.8 816 9.756016015 1.626002669
2 1.4 8.00856 40.8 816 9.618123529 1.923624706
3 1.073 4.704330294 15.86 317.2 14.53418565 1.614909517
4 1.13 5.2174134 26.6 532 9.611024684 1.816773206
5 1.262 6.507543384 19.9 398 1.602359929 1.602359929
6 1.252 6.404821344 49 980 6.404821344 1.601205336
7 1.084 4.801278816 16.3 326 14.43329215 1.603699127
8 0.99 4.0046886 17.5 350 11.21312808 1.40164101
9 1.435 8.41399335 25.7 514 16.04224413 1.604224413
10 1.232 6.201828864 63.3 1266 4.800783797 1.600261266
Average of all the values 1.639470118
obtained
Standard Deviation 0.140011115
Result: -
We get the standard deviation of the charge on an electron =
0.140011115* 1019

Result Interpretation: -
1. On carefully observing the charge on the oil drops we find
that their values are not random but they are near integral
multiple of 1.6.
2. The above observation clearly implies that the charge
appearing on the oil drop is integral multiple of some
elemental charge particle which shows that the charge are
quantized.
3. The error in the measurement may be due to some
approximation used in the simulation software.
4. The error also comes as the velocity of the particle does not
become exactly zero when we try to balance the two forces.