In R.A. Millikan's oil drop experiment, when the charged oil droplets are made stationary by adjusti — Atomic Structure Chemistry Question
Question
In R.A. Millikan's oil drop experiment, when the charged oil droplets are made stationary by adjusting the experimental conditions, which forces perfectly cancel each other out?
Answer: C
💡 Solution & Explanation
When the oil drop becomes stationary, its velocity is zero, so viscous drag becomes zero. The upward electrostatic force ($qE$) is exactly balanced by the downward gravitational force ($mg$), causing the forces to cancel out. [16, 17]
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