Question

When the tube is filled with mercury vapor, as in this case, a sharp drop in the collected current is observed when the accelerating potential reaches 4.9 v. the current drops suddenly to a negligible value and slowly increases again when the accelerating potential is above 4.9 v. what is the energy e absorbed by the atomic electrons in the mercury atom when the accelerating potential is 4.9 v?

Answer 1

The energy absorbed by the atomic electrons in the mercury atom is
`7.84 * 10^(-19)` J

Step-by-step explanation:

Given:

Potential
`V = 4.9` V

According to the conservation law,

Loss in kinetic energy = Gain in potential energy

Here, energy absorbed by the atomic electrons is given by,

`E = eV`

Where
`e = 1.6 * 10^(-19) C` ( charge of electron )

`E = 1.6 * 10^(-19 ) * 4.9`

`E = 7.84 * 10^(-19)` J

Therefore, the energy absorbed by the atomic electrons in the mercury atom is
`7.84 * 10^(-19)` J