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Chapter 3: Problem 18

What observation did Thomson make to suggest that an electron has a negative electric charge?

Short Answer

Expert verified
J.J. Thomson suggested that an electron carries a negative charge based on his observations from his cathode ray experiment, where he noticed that the cathode rays (comprised of electrons) were attracted towards the positive plate when subjected to an electric field.

Step by step solution

01

Understand the Experiment

J.J. Thomson carried out the cathode ray experiment. In this experiment, rays emitted from the cathode (negative electrode) were directed towards the anode (positive electrode). An electric field was set up between two plates, one positive and one negative, which the rays had to pass through on their way from the cathode to the anode.
02

Understand the Observations

Thomson observed that the cathode rays deviate towards the positive plate when they pass through the electric field, which indicated that the rays comprised of charged particles.
03

Deduce the Charge of the Electron

Based on the behavior of the cathode rays, Thomson deduced that the particles that constituted these rays must carry a negative charge. This is because they were attracted towards the positive plate when placed in an electric field. This led him to the suggestion that an electron carries a negative charge.

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