The smallest unit of charge is - 1.6 * 10-19 C, which is the charge (in coulombs) of a single electron. Robert Millikan was able to measure the charge on small droplets of oil by suspending them between a pair of electrically charged plates. Which of the following are possible charges of those oil droplets?

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Chemistry

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25 September, 20:57

The smallest unit of charge is - 1.6 * 10-19 C, which is the charge (in coulombs) of a single electron. Robert Millikan was able to measure the charge on small droplets of oil by suspending them between a pair of electrically charged plates. Which of the following are possible charges of those oil droplets?

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Matthias Moore · Answer 1

Any number that is a multiple of 1.6 is correct, because you can't have a fraction of an electron. Obviously the first one is wrong, because it's charge is smaller than the charge of a single electron, implying that it has a fraction of an electron.

(1) - 3.2x10^-19C

(2) - 4.8x10^-19C