Answer:
The strength of an electric field required to balance the weight of an electron can be determined using the equation for the force experienced by a charged particle in an electric field.
The force (F) experienced by a charged particle in an electric field (E) is given by Coulomb's law:
F = q * E
Where:
- F is the force on the charged particle (in this case, the weight of the electron).
- q is the charge of the particle.
- E is the strength of the electric field.
The charge of an electron (q) is approximately -1.602 x 10^-19 coulombs (C), and the weight of an electron can be calculated using its mass (m) and the acceleration due to gravity (g), which is approximately 9.81 meters per second squared (m/s^2).
Now, we can calculate the strength of the electric field (E) required to balance the weight of the electron:
F = m * g
q * E = m * g
E = (m * g) / q
Substituting the values:
- Mass of an electron (m) ≈ 9.109 x 10^-31 kilograms (kg)
- Acceleration due to gravity (g) ≈ 9.81 m/s^2
- Charge of an electron (q) ≈ -1.602 x 10^-19 C
E = [(9.109 x 10^-31 kg) * (9.81 m/s^2)] / (-1.602 x 10^-19 C)
Calculating this, you'll get the strength of the electric field required to balance the weight of an electron. The result will be in units of volts per meter (V/m), which is the SI unit for electric field strength.
Step-by-step explanation: