Final answer:
The average current in an Agile Muller counter circuit, which collects 10^8 electrons for each discharge at a rate of 100,400 counts per minute, is approximately 2.68 x 10^-5 milliamperes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks about calculating the average current in an Agile Muller counter circuit. To find the current, we can use the formula I = Q / t, where I is the current in amperes (A), Q is the charge in coulombs (C), and t is the time in seconds (s) through which the charge flows.
Firstly, we need to convert the number of electrons to coulombs. We know that 1 electron has a charge of approximately 1.602 x 10^-19 coulombs. The counter collects 10^8 electrons for a discharge, so the total charge Q is:
Q = 10^8 electrons × 1.602 x 10^-19 C/electron
Q = 1.602 x 10^-11 C
The counting rate given is 100,400 counts per minute. To find the average current, we also need the time in seconds.
t = 1 minute / 100,400 counts
t = 60 seconds / 100,400
t ≈ 5.97 x 10^-4 seconds per count
Now, we can calculate the average current I using the charge Q and the time t.
I = Q / t
I = 1.602 x 10^-11 C / 5.97 x 10^-4 s
I ≈ 2.68 x 10^-8 A
To express this current in a more common unit, we can convert amperes to milliamperes (mA) by multiplying by 1000.
I ≈ 2.68 x 10^-5 mA
Therefore, the average current in the Agile Muller counter circuit is approximately 2.68 x 10^-5 mA.