Question

Select all that apply

Which of the following statements correctly describe cathode rays? (Select all that apply.)
Cathode rays are identical no matter what their source.
A cathode ray consists of negatively charged particles.
The discovery of cathode rays showed that an atom can be broken down into smaller particles.

Answer 1

Cathode rays are streams of electrons emitted by the cathode in a discharge tube, with identical properties regardless of their source. They consist of negatively charged electrons, and their discovery provided evidence that atoms can be broken down into smaller particles.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statements that correctly describe cathode rays are:

• Cathode rays are identical no matter what their source.
• A cathode ray consists of negatively charged particles.
• The discovery of cathode rays showed that an atom can be broken down into smaller particles.

Cathode rays are streams of electrons emitted by the cathode (negative electrode) in a discharge tube (a vacuum tube with a low-pressure gas). Each individual ray consists of many negatively charged electrons that are identical, regardless of the source.

The discovery of cathode rays was significant because it provided evidence that atoms, previously thought to be indivisible, could be broken down into smaller particles. This was a major breakthrough in the development of atomic theory.

Learn more about Cathode Rays