RUNNING HEAD: Lab #1: Millikan Oil Drop

Bryan Hatch
CHEM101L
Excelsior College
Oleg Maksimov

Hatch 1

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Hatch 2
Abstract

The purpose behind this experiment was to determine the charge of an

electron. Using a similar set up to what Robert Millikan used in 1909, I was
able to calculate the charge of a single electron. I observed atomized oil as it
interacted with the force of gravity and the electromagnetic force generated
between to charged plates. I adjusted the charge between the plates and
observed the changes in the atomized oil. By analyzing the charges of the
plates and the corresponding oil droplet reaction, I calculated the electronic
charge of an electron to be 1.598x10-19C with a 0.2% margin for error.

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Lab #1: Millikan Oil Drop

Introduction
Particles interact in a multitude of ways; Compton scattering,
photoelectric effect, and pair production are just a few of those ways.
Scientists have searched for a quantifiable amount of energy in these
charged particle interactions. Robert Millikan and his collaborator
constructed a way to observe charged particles and their interactions within
a generated electric field.
Studying the interaction between charged particles, the electrical field,
and gravity will enable me to quantify the electrical charge of an electron.
Robert Millikan and Harvey Fletcher first performed is experiment in 1909,
resulting in the quantifying of an electrons charge at 1.592 x10-19C, the
basic unit of charge. Today, the accepted value is 1.602x10-19C (Robert,
n.d.). I will be performing this experiment using more modern technology
and equipment to hopefully calculate the charge of an electron with greater
accuracy than Millikan in 1909.

Method and Materials

Materials required
o
o
o
o

Oil
Spray bottle
Adjustable voltage supply
2 metal plates
o One with a small orifice drilled through the center

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o Video camera attached to microscope lens and TV display

monitor
o Cathode Ray Tube (CRT)
o Clear container to observe atomized oil with a 1mm vertical line
on one side with 0.125mm increments
o Stop watch
Experimental Procedure
To set up this experiment I first placed the CRT on the lab table at the
far left edge pointing across the table. This will direct the cathode ray across
the table allowing the cylinder and video camera to be placed in the path of
the cathode ray. Next I assembled the cylinder for the oil. I placed the plate
with no orifice at the bottom of the container and connected it to the
negative terminal of the adjustable voltage supply. I then placed the plate
with the orifice at the top of the container and connected it to the positive
terminal of the adjustable voltage supply. I attach the spray bottle of oil to
the top of the container such that the oil will be sprayed into the container at
a horizontal trajectory. I then take this assembly and place it in the center of
the lab table ensuring it is in direct line with the CRT discharge path and the
vertical line is facing towards the left side of the lab table. Next place the
video camera with lens at the far right side of the table pointed at the oil
container assembly. I focus the camera on the vertical line of the container to
ensure clear and precise observation of the oil droplets as they fall through
the container.

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To conduct the experiment the CRT was set to an intensity of 1nA and
kinetic energy of 100eV. Leaving the adjustable voltage supply set at 0V,
spray oil into the container and observe the droplets on the display. Adjust
the focus of the camera as required to see both the oil droplets and vertical
1mm line clearly. Once the focus is set spray the oil again this time picking
one drop and timing its decent for a minimum of 2 line increments (.250mm).
Record the time found in the time column of Table 1 and energize the
adjustable voltage supply. Slowly increase the voltage until the drop no
longer falls within the container. This adjustment will take time and as the
voltage approaches the value equal to the gravitational force applied to the
drop raise the voltage in smaller increments. If the drop falls outside the
camera view, spray the oil again and perform the timing and voltage steps
again. Record the value of the voltage applied to the plates once the drop no
longer moves within the container in the voltage column of Table 1. Repeat
this process for a minimum of 3 separate drops.
Now we must calculate the terminal velocity of the drop. Terminal
velocity is when the force from friction of the air equals the force of gravity
acting on the oil drop. The formula for terminal velocity is vt=d/t where d is
distance (in meters) the drop fell along the 1mm line and t is the time (in
seconds) it took the drop to fall that distance (Woodfield et al., 2014). Using
the equation vt=d/t calculate terminal velocity for each drop taking care to
remember 1m=1000mm. Record the terminal velocity in the terminal
velocity column Table 2.

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Next we must calculate the radius of the drop. The radius can be found
using the terminal velocity inserted into the equation r=(9.0407x10-5)(vt )
(Woodfield et al., 2014). Insert terminal velocity into the equation for vt and
calculate radius in meters. Record the drops radius in the radius column of
Table 2.
The next calculation is the drops mass. We use the radius (r) to
calculate the mass of the drop given the density of the oil (Woodfield et al.,
2014). For this oil the density is 3439.0 kg/m3. The equation for mass is
(3439.0 kg/m3)(r3). Insert the radius for r and calculate the drops mass.
Record this value in the mass column of Table 2.
Finally we must calculate the total electric charge of the drop (Qtot) and
then the charge of a single electron (C). We calculate the Qtot using the
equation Qtot=9.810x10-2 (m/V) where m is the mass of the drop and V is the
voltage applied to the plates for that drop (Woodfield et al., 2014). Insert
the mass and voltage for the respective drops and calculate the total charge.
Record this value in the total charge column of Table 2. The fundamental
electric charge of an electron (e) is 1.6x10-19C (coulombs). Divide your total
charge by e and round your answer to the nearest whole number (Woodfield
et al., 2014). This will give the total number of electrons on that drop. Divide
the total charge by the number of electrons to get the experimental value for
an electrons charge. Record this value in the electron charge column of
Table 2.

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Average the results for electron charge and calculate the percent error.
Take the average of the electron charge column of Table 2 and subtract
1.6x10-19. Next divide by 1.6x10-19 and multiply by 100 to calculate the
percent error.

Results and Discussion

As shown in Table 3, the drops observed were of different sizes. I made
sure to select different sizes to allow for a wider range of sample data. I also
timed each drop over .250mm of travel for the terminal velocity to minimize
mathematical errors during calculations. By looking at the data in Table 3 it is
apparent that drop one was the smallest and drop 2 was the largest. By
looking at the size difference between drops 2 and 3 there is only a 7.78x1016

kg difference but drop 2 was calculated to have 250 electrons while drop 3

only had 50. Drop 3 is more than double the size of drop 1 but drop 1 is
calculated to have 52 electrons compared to drop 3s 50 electrons. This
shows that size has minimal impact as to the quantity of electrons per drop.
To ensure my tracking of the drops distance of travel I chose drops,
which were close to or directly on the 1mm scaled line. Doing this made it
easy to track the drop as well as more accurately start and stop the
stopwatch during the drops travel. I then adjusted the voltage to the plates
by tens until the drop began to rise. I then lowered it by ones until the drop
began to fall. Finally I fine-tuned the voltage by 1/10 adjustments to the
voltage until the drop was suspended. After the data for a drop was record I

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would remove myself from the area and come back after a short break to
ensure I gave each run of the experiment unbiased or undistorted
observations.
My final average electron charge was 1.598x10-19 C, which is only 4x1022

C below Millikans findings. My average was found with only a 0.2% margin

for error. Had a I continued to record data of multiple drops my average

would have moved closed to Millikans results.
Due to the large amount of human involvement for this experiment
there is a large possibility for errors. The time delay of the human reflexes for
operating the stopwatch can add or subtract hundredths or thousandths of a
second skewing the final calculations. Parallax error is a possibility for each
time the person looks through the viewing window they could be at a
different angle. I used a video camera to remove this possibility of parallax
error. Taking care to perform the calculations slowly and correctly to minimize
mathematical errors is important to ensure accuracy of data.

Conclusion
In conclusion I was able to re-create Millikans experiment. My results
show that the electrical charge of an electron is quantifiable. My final value
for electric charge differed from the value of 1.602x10-19 most likely due to
human error when operating the stopwatch. This is the human error that
cannot be removed from any experiment.

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Tables

Table 1
Drop
1
2
3

Voltage (V)

Time (t)

Distance (d)

Table 2
Drop

Terminal

Radius (r)

Mass (m)

Total

Charge of

Velocity

Charge

one

(vt)

(Qtot)

electron
(C)

1
2
3
Table 3
Dro

Voltag

e (V)
17.3V

1
2
3

93.2V
37.8V

Tim
e
(t)

Distance
(d)

Terminal
Velocity
(vt)

Radius
(r)

3.61

0.250m

6.916x10-5

7.518x1

m/s

0-7 m

1.9s

0.250m

1.316x10-4

1.037x1

2.21

m
0.250m

m/s
1.131x10-4

0-6 m
9.615x1

m/s

0-7 m

Mass (m)
1.461x1015

kg

3.835x1015

kg
3.057x1015

kg

Total

Charge of

Charge

one

(Qtot)

electron (C)

8.285x10-18

1.593x10-19

4.037x10-17

1.615x10-19

C
7.934x10-18

C
1.587x10-19

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References

Robert Millikan. (n.d.) In APS Physics. Retrieved from

http://www.aps.org/programs/outreach/history/historicsites/millikan.cfm
Woodfield, B. F., Asplund, M. C., Haderline, S. (2014) Millikan Oil Drop
Experiment. In A. Jaworski & T. Haugen (Eds.), Virtual ChemLab
General Chemistry Laboratory v.4.5 (pp. 17-20). Saddle River, NJ:
Pearson Education.