Last updated on Monday, October 9th, 2023

Ionization Potential of Mercury experiment demonstration and viva questions are listed here. In the periodic chart, the mercury atomic number is 80 and it is symbol Hg. To determine the ionization potential of mercury a mercury diode valve is used.

Ionization Potential of Mercury Introduction :

In this experiment, a simple principle is used to determine the ionization potential of mercury. What is ionization potential? This is the minimum energy to remove an electron from the atomic orbital of an atom. A filament that is put under the cathode plate glows and provides the thermal heat to the Cathode.

As a result, the cathode plate starts to eject the electrons from their surface. These electrons will approach the anode plate if we connect it with the positive terminal of the battery. Initially, when the potential difference between the cathode and anode is small very few electrons reach up to the plate. And you observe very small current.

Working of the Ionization Tube

When you slowly increase the potential difference in between the anode and cathode plates, more electrons attract towards the anode plate. The current increases every time because a number of electrons are attracted towards the anode plate.

You can say, that when you are increasing the potential between the plates, the kinetic energy of emitted electrons is also increasing. At a certain amount of kinetic energy of the emitted electrons, it reaches that level where they are able to knockout the electrons from mercury atoms.

Here, the ejected electrons from the mercury atoms are known as secondary electrons. Now secondary electrons are also contribute in to the current along with the primary electrons.

When a sufficient voltage is applied, all the electrons emitted from the cathode reaches at the plate along with the secondary electrons. This is the reason that the current suddenly increases at a certain applied voltage. That value of the applied voltage at which this occur, known as the ionization potential of mercury.

What is space charge and how to neutralize that?

When we increase the potential of battery, the electrons get accelerated and ionize the mercury atoms. As a result, we observe the remaining positive ions near to the anode plate. These ion charges block the current. So further, when we increase the potential, positive ions starts to move towards the cathode plate and by this way it neutralizes the space charge.

READ ALSO: Newton’s Rings Experiment Viva

The electrons released from the ionization of mercury reach up to the plate, in addition to the electrons emitted from the cathode, and as a result current increase suddenly. This is the point of ionization potential.

Here, in this post, I have discussed the primary and secondary electrons. How space charge creates? and how one neutralize that? Why the current suddenly increases? and How to define the ionization potential of the mercury atom?

Ionization Graph

To find the ionization potential of mercury, you will require to plot the current and voltage. Take potential at the x-axis and current on the y-axis. Check the point, where current suddenly increases. For it, use slop at both the lines. Wherever these lines cut to each other, mark that point and draw a vertical line from that point on to the x-axis. In this way, you will get the ionization value. Compare it with the standard value and find the experimental error in percentage.

For mercury, ionization potential is 10.39 V

For the % error you can take the relation [(standard value-observed value) / standard value] x 100. You can observe yourself that what are the possible causes of this % error in your result.

One important point that I want to share with you that don’t run the current for a longer period, (the high potential into the mercury diode valve), otherwise, it can be burn. Check your circuit diagram and try to understand it with the black box, a box of apparatus. Most of the time in Indian Universities they provide a box and block diagram on that.

AIM: To find the ionization potential of mercury using a gas-filled diode.

APPARATUS:

A gas-filled (mercury vapor) diode, a D.C. power supply, a voltmeter, a millimeter, and connecting wires.

THEORY: 

The atom or molecules’ term ionization energy is the energy needed to remove electrons out of an atom or molecule. Large atoms require low energy for ionization, however, small elements require high energy for ionization. This amount was simply referred to as the potential for ionization, i.e. the energy required to remove electrons from an atom and expressed in volt (V). ⠀

The ionization potential of mercury

Mercury ionization potential can be measured by adding mercury vapor in an evacuated tube fitted with a cathode and anode at a low pressure of 10 mm to 50 mm of the mercury. The gas diode cathode can be heated directly or indirectly.

A diode filled with gas is called a phantom (or thyratron). The mark in the pipe indicates the gas or vapor presence. When you connect the thyratron with the battery as per the circuit diagram, shown in the video. Then first you connect filament with it, so it starts to glow. Then after you provide the positive potential to the plate respective to the cathode.

Space Charge and current

Now the electrons that emits from the cathode starts to move towards the plate, as a result, you observe the current. These electrons emit from the cathode that is in the Vacuum tube (this thyratron bulb) and moves inside the diode gas valve towards the plate. Remember, this flow of charges is in space. When it reaches to the plate it completes the circuit and you observe the current.

This electronics current depends on these factors:

• The number of electrons emitted per unit area from the cathode.
• The temperature of the cathode that you are providing by the filament.
• The effect of the space charge region, i.e., the negatively charged region containing the electron cloud due to the accumulation of electrons emitted by the cathode.

You may have seen when you increase the plate potential, the current also increases. Do you know why? The answer to it you have to understand with proper basic concepts. See, the temperature is fixed, the number of electrons is emitting from the cathode. But not all electrons are reaching on the plate, so the number is less. But when you increase the potential number of electrons increases, as a result, current increases.

Primary and secondary electrons

When the potential is increased beyond a critical value, where all the electrons attracted toward the plate than that time do you know what happens? See, when potential increases the attraction will increase, and simultaneously, it will enhance the kinetic energy of the emitted electrons. Now, these high-speed electrons strike on the mercury atom. That results, ionization of the mercury atoms.

The electrons which emitted from the cathode are known as primary electrons while electrons that ejects from the mercury atom is known as secondary electrons.

This value of plate potential at which the electron ejects from the mercury atoms is called the ionization potential. At this point, you observe the sudden change into the current.

OBSERVATIONS:

An example, you can see here;

Draw The Graph:

To draw the graph first do scaling that what value you are taking for 10 small division on X-axis and Y-axis. This number may vary, you can consider 1 small division or 1 box like that. Right after making it clear that on X-axis you are taking potential and current on Y-axis.

Now draw the points on the graph. You will see the non-linear behavior of the V-I plot. Now how to determine the value of ionization potential? for it, you take two slopes and observe the intersection points. This is the result.

Now compare it with the standard result of mercury and show percentage error. Explain in your notebook that what you learned from the experiment and how it is significant?

Conclusion of Ionization 

The ionization potential of mercury is discussed with an experimental apparatus. How to find out the ionization potential of mercury. The electrons from the heated surface of the cathode emit and reach up to the plate which is at the higher potential, so all the electrons are attracted by the plate….but due to space charge, all the emitted electrons cannot reach up to the plate…now we increase the potential of the plate as a result electron get accelerated and ionize the mercury vapor. The mercury ion move towards the cathode and neutral the space charge….also the electrons release from ionization of mercury reach up to the plate in addition to the electrons emitted from the cathode and as a result current increase suddenly. this is the point of ionization potential. One can find out it by plotting the graph between the plate current and applied voltage.

For any question please write in the comment box.

Summary

1. the ionization energy of mercury
2. Read more about ionization potential of mercury Wikipedia
3. the ionization potential of mercury is approximately
4. ionization potential definition
5. the ionization energy of hg

Frequently Asked Questions

#Q. What is Ionization energy definition?

In a simple way, we can say that, when we provide the energy to the atomic system which is compatible with one electron(s) to come out from the atomic system, is known as the ionization energy. This energy used to release the electron from atomic bindings and for the kinetic energy.

#Q. What is first ionization energy?

First ionization energy is that energy which is required to remove the first electron from the atom, if you will also remove one more electron from the atomic system then the energy required for it will be the second ionization energy.

#Q. Define ionization energy?

This definition idea you can see in the above section, which is the amount of energy required to remove one electron from the atom.

#Q. What is Ionization energy table?

In the periodic chart, it is easy to remove the first electron from the atom, when you move from left to write in a period this energy changes due to the decrease of the radial distance. So energy starts to increase, all the atoms for that ionization energy is observed listed in a table, that table you can see from the book or the internet sources.

#Q. What do you mean by high ionization energy?

High ionization energy is a relative term, so you can judge it from the above lines of a periodic table when you move in a period from left to the right energy increases. High ionization energy is required if, for example, you have to remove 1s-orbital electron for the sodium atom as compared to the 3s electron.

ionization energy chemistry definition

#Q. What is Ionization Meaning?

When a sufficient amount of energy is provided to the atom an electron eject from the atom, this process is called the ionization.

APPLICATIONS TO THE IONIZATION

Ionization of Salt

Sodium chloride salt is an ionic compound composed of positively charged ions and negatively charged ions, bound by the ionic bonds. When Sodium chloride salt dissolves in water, it undergoes a process of ionization. In this process,  the ionic bonds between the positive and negative ions are break down, and the individual ions become surrounded by water molecules.

Ionize

In the above process NaCl ionize into the Na⁺ and Cl^– ions.

Negative Ionization

Negative ionization is a process of adding one or more electrons to an atom. This process can occur naturally in the atmosphere through a variety of processes, including cosmic rays, lightning, and the interaction of sunlight with the earth’s atmosphere. Negative ionization can also be generated artificially using negative ion generators. These generators release negatively charged ions into the air.

Ionize Air

The negative ion generators, which works by using a high voltage source to ionize molecules in the air, creating a stream of negatively charged ions. These ions attached to dust, pollen, and other airborne particles, and as a result causing them to fall to the ground. So ionizing the air is a process to make clean the atmosphere.

Copper Ionization

“Copper ionization in general used into the swimming pool or spa to treat the water. It consist of an electronic control unit, a copper electrode, and a flow cell. Water flowing through the system is exposed to the copper electrode, which releases copper ions into the water as it passes by. Copper ions are effective at killing a broad range of microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, and algae, and are less irritating to the skin and eyes than traditional chemicals.”

Many Questions and their answers are included above, if still any questions’ answer not getting please let me know. Few more questions, that will be easy to answer now.

What is ionization potential of mercury?
Why is mercury used in ionization potential?
Why is mercury ionization energy so high?
What is the formula of ionization potential?
What is ionization potential?
What has the highest ionization energy?
Which is higher ionization energy?
What is lowest ionization energy?
Which has maximum first ionization potential?
What is first ionization energy?
Which element has lowest first ionization energy?

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