Exam-style question
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In Millikan's oil-drop experiment, what principle is used to determine the charge of the electron?.
- A.The principle of conservation of energy
- B.The principle of force balance
- C.The principle of electromagnetic induction
- D.The principle of wave-particle duality
Model answer
What a good answer should say
- The principle of force balance
Explanation
Why this works
Millikan's oil-drop experiment determines the charge of the electron by balancing the gravitational force acting on the oil drop with the electric force exerted on it. This balance allows for the calculation of the charge on the drop, which corresponds to the charge of the electron.
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