ELECTRIC CURRENT THROUGH GASES

CHAPTER 41
1.

Let the two particles have charge q

Mass of electron ma = 9.1 1031 kg
Mass of proton mp = 1.67 1027 kg
Electric field be E
Force experienced by Electron = qE
accln. = qE/me
For time dt

1 qE

dt 2
2 me

Se =

(1)

For the positive ion,

accln. =

qE
4 mp

1
qE

dt 2
2 4 mp

Sp =

(2)

Se 4mp
= 7340.6

Sp
me
2.

E = 5 Kv/m = 5 10 v/m ; t = 1 s = 1 10
F = qE = 1.6 10
a=

5 10

qE 1.6 5 10 16

m
9.1 10 31

a) S = distance travelled
=

1 2
at = 439.56 m = 440 m
2

b) d = 1 mm = 1 10
1 10

t =
3.

1 1.6 5 5 2

10 t
2
9.1

9.1
9
1018 t = 1.508 10 sec 1.5 ns.
0.8 5

Let the mean free path be L and pressure be P

L 1/p

for

L = half of the tube length, P = 0.02 mm of Hg

As P becomes half, L doubles, that is the whole tube is filled with Crooks dark space.
Hence the required pressure = 0.02/2 = 0.01 m of Hg.
4.

V = f(Pd)
vs = Ps ds
vL = Pl dl

Vs Ps ds
100 10 1mm

Vl
Pl dl
100 20
x

x = 1 mm / 2 = 0.5 mm
5.

i = ne or n = i/e
e is same in all cases.
We know,
41.1

Electric current through gases

2

i = AST e

/ RT

= 4.52 eV, K = 1.38 10

n(1000) = As (1000) e 4.521.610

2

19

/ 1.3810

23

23

J/k

1000

17

1.7396 10
a) T = 300 K

19

n(T)
AS (300)2 e 4.521.610 / 1.3810

n(1000K)
AS 1.7396 10 17

23

300

= 7.05 10

55

b) T = 2000 K
19

n(T)
AS (2000)2 e4.521.610 / 1.3810

n(1000K)
AS 1.7396 10 17

23

2000

= 9.59 10

11

c) T = 3000 K
19

6.

n(T)
AS (3000)2 e4.521.610 / 1.3810

n(1000K)
AS 1.7396 10 17

23

3000

16

= 1.340 10

i = AST e / KT
2

i1 = i

i2 = 100 mA

A1 = 60 10

A2 = 3 10

S1 = S

S2 = S

T1 = 2000

T2 = 2000

1 = 4.5 eV

2 = 2.6 eV

K = 1.38 10

23

J/k
4.51.61019

i = (60 10 ) (S) (2000)

23
e1.3810 2000

2.61.61019
4

100 = (3 10 ) (S) (2000)

23
e1.3810 2000

Dividing the equation

4.51.610 2.61.610
(
)
1.382
1.3820

e
100

i
i
20 e11.014
20 0.000016
100
100

i = 20 0.0016 = 0.0329 mA = 33 A
7.

Pure tungsten

Thoriated tungsten

= 4.5 eV

= 2.6 eV
4

A = 60 10 A/m k

i = AST e / KT
2

iThoriated Tungsten = 5000 iTungsten

4.51.610 19
4

So, 5000 S 60 10 T e 1.38T10

23

2.651.61019
4

S 3 10 T e

1.38T 1023

4.51.610 19
8

3 10 e

A = 3 10 A/m k

1.38T10 23

2.651.61019

= e

1.38T 1023

3 10

Taking ln
9.21 T = 220.29
T = 22029 / 9.21 = 2391.856 K
41.2

Electric current through gases

8.

i = AST e

/ KT

e / KT

12

i = AST

i
T 2 e / KT
12 / KT
i T e
2

i T / KT KT T KT / KT
e
e
i T
T
2

i 2000
=
e
i 2010

9.

4.51.61019
1.3810 23

1
1

= 0.8690
2010 2000

i
1

1.1495 = 1.14
i 0.8699
4

A = 60 10 A/m k

2
8

= 4.5 eV
S = 2 10

= 6 10
5

/m k

K = 1.38 10

23

J/K

H = 24
The Cathode acts as a black body, i.e. emissivity = 1
4

E = A T (A is area)
4

T =

E
24

2 1013 K 20 1012 K
8
A 6 10 2 10 5
3

T = 2.1147 10 = 2114.7 K
= AST e / KT
2

Now, i

4.51.610 19
5

= 6 10 2 10
= 1.03456 10
10. ip =

(2114.7) e 1.38T10

23

A = 1 mA

CVp3 / 2

(1)

dip = C 3/2 Vp(3 / 2)1dv p

dip
dv p

3
CVp1/ 2
2

(2)

Dividing (2) and (1)

3 / 2CVp1/ 2
i dip

ip dv p
CVp3 / 2

1 dip
3

ip dv p 2V
dv p
dip

R=

2V
3ip

2V
2 60

4 103 4k
3ip 3 10 10 3

11. For plate current 20 mA, we find the voltage 50 V or 60 V.

Hence it acts as the saturation current. Therefore for the same temperature, the plate current is 20 mA
for all other values of voltage.
Hence the required answer is 20 mA.
12. P = 1 W, p = ?
Vp = 36 V, Vp = 49 V, P = IpVp
41.3

Electric current through gases

P
1
Ip =

Vp 36
Ip (Vp)

3/2

Ip (Vp)

Ip

Ip

3/2

(Vp )3 / 2
Vp
3/2

1/ 36 36

Ip
49

1
36 6

Ip 0.4411
36 Ip
49 7

P = Vp Ip = 49 0.4411 = 2.1613 W = 2.2 W

13. Amplification factor for triode value

Charge in Plate Voltage Vp

Charge in Grid Voltage Vg

==
=

250 225 25

12.5
2.5 0.5
2

[ Vp = 250 225, Vg = 2.5 0.5]

14. rp = 2 K = 2 10
gm = 2 milli mho = 2 10

mho

= rp gm = 2 10 2 10

= 4 Amplification factor is 4.

15. Dynamic Plate Resistance rp = 10 K = 104

Ip = ?
Vp = 220 220 = 20 V
Ip =Vp / rp) / Vg = constant.
4

= 20/10 = 0.002 A = 2 mA

Vp
16. rp =
Ip

at constant Vg

Consider the two points on Vg = 6 line

rp =

(240 160)V
(13 3) 10 3 A

80
103 8K
10

Ip
gm =
= constant
Vg v p

Considering the points on 200 V line,

gm =

(13 3) 10 3
10 10 3
2.5 milli mho
A
[( 4) ( 8)]
4

= rp gm
= 8 103 2.5 103 1 = 8 1.5 = 20
17. a) rp = 8 K = 8000
Vp = 48 V

Ip = ?

Ip = Vp / rp) / Vg = constant.
So, Ip = 48 / 8000 = 0.006 A = 6 mA
b) Now, Vp is constant.
Ip = 6 mA = 0.006 A
41.4

Electric current through gases

gm = 0.0025 mho
Vg = Ip / gm) / Vp = constant.
=

0.006
= 2.4 V
0.0025
3

18. rp = 10 K = 10 10
= 20

Vp = 250 V

Vg = 7.5 V

Ip = 10 mA

Ip
a) gm =
Vg Vp = constant

Vg =

Ip

gm

15 103 10 10 3
/ rp

5 10 3
20 /10 10

5
2.5
2

rg = +2.5 7.5 = 5 V

Vp
b) rp =
Ip

Vg = constnant

Vp

10 =

(15 10

10 10 3 )

Vp = 10 5 10

= 50 V

Vp Vp = 50 Vp = 50 + Vp = 200 V
19. Vp = 250 V, Vg = 20 V
a) ip = 41(Vp + 7Vg)

1.41

41(250 140)
b) ip = 41(Vp + 7Vg)

1.41

1.41

= 41 (110)

= 30984 A = 30 mA

1.41

Differentiating,
dip = 41 1.41 (Vp + 7Vg)

dVp

Now rp =
or

dVp
dip

dip

0.41

(dVp + 7dVg)

Vg = constant.

1 106

41 1.41 1100.41

= 10 2.51 10

2.5 10 = 2.5 K

c) From above,
dIp = 41 1.41 6.87 7 d Vg
gm =

dIp
dVg

= 41 1.41 6.87 7 mho

= 2780 mho = 2.78 milli mho.

d) Amplification factor
3

= rp gm = 2.5 10 2.78 10
20. ip = K(Vg + Vp/)

3/2

= 6.95 = 7

(1)

Diff. the equation :

dip = K 3/2 (Vg + Vp/)1/2 d Vg

dip
dVg

1/ 2

V
3
K Vg 0

2

41.5

Electric current through gases

gm = 3/2 K (Vg + Vp/)

1/2

(2)

From (1) ip = [3/2 K (Vg + Vp/)1/2]3 8/K2 27

3

ip = k (gm) gm 3 ip
21. rp = 20 K = Plate Resistance
Mutual conductance = gm = 2.0 milli mho = 2 103 mho
Amplification factor = 30
Load Resistance = RL = ?
We know
A=

A=

rp
1
RL

where A = voltage amplification factor

rp gm
rp
1
RL

30 =

where = rp gm

4RL
20 103 2 10 3
3=
20000
RL 20000
1
RL

3RL + 60000 = 4 RL
RL = 60000 = 60 K
22. Voltage gain =

rp
1
RL

When A = 10, RL = 4 K
10 =

rp

4 103

10

4 10

4 103 rp

40 10 10rp = 4 10

(1)

when A = 12, RL = 8 K
12 =

rp

12

8 103

8 103
8 103 rp

96 10 + 12 rp = 8 10

(2)

Multiplying (2) in equation (1) and equating with equation (2)

3

2(40 10 + 10 rp) = 96 10+3 + 12rp

3

rp = 2 10 = 2 K
Putting the value in equation (1)
3

40 10 + 10(2 10 ) = 4 10
3

40 10 + 20 10 ) = 4 10
= 60/4 = 15

41.6