Question

A 0.80-μm-diameter oil droplet is observed between two parallel electrodes spaced 11 mm apart. The droplet hangs motionless if the upper electrode is 17.8 V more positive than the lower electrode. The density of the oil is 885kg/m3. Part A What is the droplet's mass? Express your answer to two significant figures and include the appropriate units. m m = nothing nothing Request Answer Part B What is the droplet's charge? Express your answer to two significant figures and include the appropriate units. q q = nothing nothing Request Answer Part C Does the droplet have a surplus or a deficit of electrons? How many? Does the droplet have a surplus or a deficit of electrons? How many? deficit 9 electrons surplus 9 electrons surplus 16 electrons deficit 7 electrons

Answer 1

A) $2.4\cdot 10^{-16}kg$

The radius of the oil droplet is half of its diameter:

$r=\frac{d}{2}=\frac{0.80 \mu m}{2}=0.40 \mu m = 0.4\cdot 10^{-6}m$

Assuming the droplet is spherical, its volume is given by

$V=\frac{4}{3}\pi r^3 = \frac{4}{3}\pi (0.4\cdot 10^{-6} m)^3=2.68\cdot 10^{-19} m^3$

The density of the droplet is

$\rho=885 kg/m^3$

Therefore, the mass of the droplet is equal to the product between volume and density:

$m=\rho V=(885 kg/m^3)(2.68\cdot 10^{-19} m^3)=2.4\cdot 10^{-16}kg$

B) $1.5\cdot 10^{-18}C$

The potential difference across the electrodes is

$V=17.8 V$

and the distance between the plates is

$d=11 mm=0.011 m$

So the electric field between the electrodes is

$E=\frac{V}{d}=\frac{17.8 V}{0.011 m}=1618.2 V/m$

The droplet hangs motionless between the electrodes if the electric force on it is equal to the weight of the droplet:

$qE=mg$

So, from this equation, we can find the charge of the droplet:

$q=\frac{mg}{E}=\frac{(2.4\cdot 10^{-16}kg)(9.81 m/s^2)}{1618.2 V/m}=1.5\cdot 10^{-18}C$

C) Surplus of 9 electrons

The droplet is hanging near the upper electrode, which is positive: since unlike charges attract each other, the droplet must be negatively charged. So the real charge on the droplet is

$q=-1.5\cdot 10^{-18}C$

we can think this charge has made of N excess electrons, so the net charge is given by

$q=Ne$

where

$e=-1.6\cdot 10^{-19}C$ is the charge of each electron

Re-arranging the equation for N, we find:

$N=\frac{q}{e}=\frac{-1.5\cdot 10^{-18}C}{-1.6\cdot 10^{-19}C}=9.4 \sim 9$

so, a surplus of 9 electrons.