Question 11.20:(a) Estimate the speed With Which electrons emitted from a heated emitter Of an evacuated tube impinge on the collector maintained at a potential difference Of 500 V With respect to the emitter. Ignore the small initial speeds Of the electrons. The specific charge of the electron, i.e., its e/ m is given to be 1.76 x 1011 C kg-1.

(b) Use the same formula you employ in (a) to obtain electron speed for a collector potential of 10 MV. do you See What is wrong? In what way is the formula to be modified?

(a)
Hint: \(\mathrm{v}=\left(\frac{2 \mathrm{eV}}{\mathrm{m}}\right)^{\frac{1}{2}}\)
Step 1: Find the velocity of the emitted electron.
The potential difference across the evacuated tube, V = 500 V
The specific charge of an electron. e/m = 1.76 x 1011 C kg-1
The kinetic energy of the electron is given by:
KE=12mv2=eVv=(2eVm)12=(2V×em)12=(2×500×1.76×1011)12=1.327×107 m/s
Therefore, the speed of each emitted electron is 1.327 x 107 m/s.
(b)
Hint: \(\mathrm{v}=\left(\frac{2 \mathrm{eV}}{\mathrm{m}}\right)^{\frac{1}{2}}\)

Step 1: Find the velocity of the emitted electron.
The speed of each electron is given as:
v=(2Vem)12=(2×107×1.76×1011)12=1.88×109 m/s

Step 2: Identify the mistake in the above answer.
This result is wrong because nothing can move faster than light. In the above formula, the expression (mv2/2) for energy can only be used in the non-relativistic limit, i.e., for v <<  c.
For Very high-speed problems, relativistic equations must be considered for solving them. In the relativistic limit, the total energy is given as E = mc2
Where m = Relativistic mass
=m0(1v2c2)-12
m =Mass of the particle at rest.