He proposed that this was the negative of the charge of a single electron.ĥ The experiment that led to a change in previous atom models The charges were small integers multiples of a certain base value. Robert Millikan's results had little impact on determining of the charge of an electron. Robert Millikans postulates form the most accepted theory for the atomic structure. Robert Millikan's postulates form the most accepted theory for the atomic structure. Ernest Rutherfords experiment established the plum pudding model of the atom. Now Millikan can figure out the charge of the oil droplets. Ernest Rutherfords experiment led to the nuclear model of the atom.

Drops were suspended in mechanical equilibrium. Voltage was applied to the electrodes to induce an electric field. First the velocity of the of the droplets were measured. Millikan concluded that this value must therefore be a fundamental chargethe charge of a single electronwith his measured charges due to an excess of one electron (1 times 1. The experiment consisted of tiny charged droplets between two horizontal metal electrodes. Looking at the charge data that Millikan gathered, you may have recognized that the charge of an oil droplet is always a multiple of a specific charge, 1.6 10 19 C. It works by putting the oil droplet in between an electric field and gravity.

Millikan changed the atomic model by giving scientist more time to explore the model, before a scientist named Wilson his model was with a water droplet and it didn’t stay up that long with the electric field so Millikan found a new way by using an oil droplet and it stayed up for hours and the water only stayed up for seconds.

Robert millikan atomic theory