Inertia of the Carrier of Electricity in Copper and Aluminum

Abstract

In this experiment the mass-charge ratio of the carrier of an electric current in a metallic conductor was precisely determined. This was done by measuring the change in amplitude resulting from reversing the current in a cylindrical coil supported as a torsional pendulum. Determinations of $\frac{m}{e}$ of the carrier were made for coils of both copper and aluminum and various current values were used in each coil. The average value obtained for $\frac{m}{e}$ of the carrier is 5.69\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}9}$ gram per coulomb. The accepted value of this ratio for the electron is 5.68\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}9}$ gram per coulomb.