CATHODE RAYS-DISCOVERY OF ELECTRON-DISCHARGE TUBE EXPERIMENT-
CROOK’S TUBE EXPERIMENT
INTRODUCTION  
Gases are bad conductors of electricity. However under reduced pressure and at high
 
potential difference gases conduct electric current.
DISCHARGE TUBE  
Discharge tube is a glass tube fitted with two electrodes placed opposite to each other.
The tube is sealed and contains a vacuum pump. The function of vacuum pump is to
reduced or change the pressure inside the tube. The two electrodes are connected to a
high voltage battery.

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THE EXPERIMENT  
In discharge tube experiment, at low pressure and at very high potential difference,
 
electric current is passed through the gas.
OBSERVATION  
Under different pressure different observations were noted;
At 1cm Hg pressure:
When pressure inside the tube is reduced to 1 cm of Hg, at a potential difference of a few
thousand volts causes a spark to pass like a flash of light.
At 1 mm Hg:
At 1 mm Hg, the tube is mostly filled with a glow extending from the positive electrode.
This is known as "positive column".
At 0.001 mm Hg:
At 0.001 m Hg, the glow disappears and the walls of the glass tube begin to glow with a
brilliant green light.
 RESULT  
These observations indicate that some radiation or rays are emitted from cathode. These
rays are known as "Cathode Rays".
PROPERTIES OF CATHODE
 
RAYS
ORIGIN  
These rays originate from cathode.
PATH  
Cathode rays travel in straight line.
PRESSURE  
Cathode rays exert mechanical pressure.
SHADOW FORMATION  
The cathode rays consist of material particles because they produced shadow of
objects placed in      the way.
EFFECT OF ELECTRIC FIELD  
Cathode rays deflect in applied electric field towards the positive terminal.
EFFECT OF MAGNETIC FIELD  
Cathode rays are deflected by magnetic field.
PENETRATION POWER  
Cathode rays penetrate small thickness of matter such as aluminum foil, gold foil, etc.
CHARGE  
These rays carry a negative charge.
DEPENDENCE ON MATERIAL  
Cathode rays are independent of the material of electrode or the nature of gas in the
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e/m RATIO  
Their e/m ratio was equal to that of an electron.
CONCLUSION  
Different scientist tried different discharge tubes with different electrodes and different
gases but results of all the experiment gave same value for charge to mass ratio. This
shows that there is something common in all materials. It was concluded that all the
substances in common.
Experiment shows that these particles could be produces from any kind of material.
Cathode rays consist of particles which are known as electrons.