NANSLO Remote Lab Activity: Electron Charge Mass (Helmholtz Coil)

This NANSLO lab activity is self-contained and can be used in general chemistry and survey of chemistry courses. In this activity, A Helmholtz coil is used to determine charge to mass ratio of electron; a modern day version of the Thomson Cathode Ray experiment. The lab activity includes background information on how JJ Thomson used a Cathode Ray tube to show that when a glass tube with conducting plates on either end is filled with gas and an electric potential difference is imposed across the plates, a current will pass through the gas. The lab activity also includes information on calculating the charge to mass ratio, pre-lab questions, lab exercises, data analysis, and optional advanced post-lab analysis activities.
Date:
2014-04
Primary Material Type:
Assignment
Institution:
Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education
Funding Source:
TAACCCT Round 2
Subjects:
NANSLO Remote Lab Activity: Electron Charge Mass (Helmholtz Coil), modified version of Thomson's historic cathode ray tube experiment, magnetic field on beam of electron, charge to mass ratio of an electron, laboratory exercises

Industry / Occupation

Industry Partner:
Health Care
Industry Sector:
Health Care and Social Assistance (62)
Occupation:
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations (29-0000)

Education / Instructional Information

Instructional Program:
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences (51)
Credit Type:
  • Credit
Credential Type:
  • Associate Degree
  • Bachelors Degree
Educational Level of Materials:
  • 1st year Community College or equivalent
Time Required:
2 Hrs connected to laboratory through the Internet plus pre-lab and post-lab work
Language:
English (United States)
Interactivity Type:
Active - requires user to respond to prompts, questions, etc.
Quality Note:
Curriculum expert in this discipline worked with Discipline Panel of faculty to define learning objectives needed for this lab activity. During development, teleconferences were held to discuss lab activity being developed. Draft activity was posted to listserv for review by Discipline Panel and other faculty in that discipline. Based on feedback, lab activity was modified prior to posting as final. Experts in remote web-based science labs who are also science faculty worked together to define the web-enabled interface design used by students to perform the lab activity via the Internet and created the lab setup (robotics, scientific equipment, and items needed to complete the lab activity) testing it with lab technicians and others prior to launching the final lab activity.
Quality of Subject Matter was assured by:
  • Consultations during development of instructional materials
Quality of Online/Hybrid Course Design assured by:
  • None
Course Note:
General Chemistry with lab and Survey of Chemistry

Copyright / Licensing

Primary License:
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.