In an experiment it was found that the total charge on an oil drop was $5.93 \times 10^{-18} \mathrm{C}$ . How many negative charges does the drop contain?

Short Answer

Expert verified
The oil drop contains approximately 37 negative charges (electrons).

Step by step solution

01

Identify the given information

We are provided with the total charge on the oil drop: \(Q = 5.93 \times 10^{-18} \mathrm{C}\). We also know the fundamental charge of an electron: \(e = -1.6 \times 10^{-19} \mathrm{C}\).
02

Determine the number of electrons needed for the net charge

To determine the number of electrons on the oil drop, we will take the total charge (Q) and divide it by the charge of one electron (e). The formula is: \[n = \frac{Q}{e}\]
03

Calculate the number of electrons on the oil drop

Plugging the given values into the formula, we get: \[n = \frac{5.93 \times 10^{-18} \mathrm{C}}{-1.6 \times 10^{-19} \mathrm{C}}\]
04

Simplify the equation and find the result

By dividing the values of the charges, we get the number of electrons: \[n \approx 37.06\] Since the number of electrons must be a whole number, we round to the nearest whole number: \[n \approx 37\] So, the oil drop contains approximately 37 negative charges (electrons).

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

  • Full Textbook Solutions

    Get detailed explanations and key concepts

  • Unlimited Al creation

    Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...

  • Ads-free access

    To over 500 millions flashcards

  • Money-back guarantee

    We refund you if you fail your exam.

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with Vaia!

One App. One Place for Learning.

All the tools & learning materials you need for study success - in one app.

Get started for free

Most popular questions from this chapter

See all solutions

Recommended explanations on Chemistry Textbooks

View all explanations

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.

Sign-up for free