What really happens in the Franck--Hertz experiment with mercury

Journal Article · Mon Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1988 · Am. J. Phys.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1119/1.15503· OSTI ID:7058850

Hanne, G F

Recent studies using spin-polarized electrons have revealed the role that various interactions play in inelastic collisions of slow electrons with complex atoms. It has been shown that electron exchange and resonances (temporarily negative compound ion states) strongly influence the excitation cross sections of the first excited states of mercury very close to excitation thresholds. The particular result obtained in the Franck--Hertz experiment is determined by the magnitude of the excitation cross sections involved and depends on the geometrical design of the tube.

• Research Organization: The University of Oklahoma, Department of Physics and Astronomy, 440 West Brooks, Norman, Oklahoma 73019
• OSTI ID: 7058850
• Journal Information: Am. J. Phys.; (United States), Vol. 56:8
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
MERCURY
ELECTRON-ATOM COLLISIONS
BENCH-SCALE EXPERIMENTS
CROSS SECTIONS
ELECTRON EXCHANGE
ELECTRON TUBES
INELASTIC SCATTERING
PRESSURE DEPENDENCE
THRESHOLD ENERGY
ATOM COLLISIONS
COLLISIONS
ELECTRON COLLISIONS
ELECTRON TRANSFER
ELEMENTS
ENERGY
METALS
SCATTERING
640304* - Atomic
Molecular & Chemical Physics- Collision Phenomena