Question:medium

The transfer of integral number of ________ is one of the evidence of quantisation of electric charge. Fill in the blank with the correct answer from the options given below.

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The value of the elementary charge ($e$) is approximately $1.6 \times 10^{-19}$ Coulombs. This was famously proven by Robert Millikan in his oil-drop experiment.
Updated On: May 30, 2026
  • photons
  • nuclei
  • electrons
  • neutron
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The Correct Option is C

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Quantisation of electric charge means that charge exists in discrete packets. The smallest basic unit of charge that can be transferred during charging is the magnitude of charge on an electron ($e = 1.6 \times 10^{-19}$ C).
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
When an object becomes charged, it is because electrons have been added to it or removed from it.
Since electrons are fundamental particles that cannot be split into smaller pieces during ordinary physical processes, they must be transferred in whole numbers (integers).
Therefore, the total charge \( Q \) on any body is always an integral multiple of the elementary charge \( e \), expressed as \( Q = \pm ne \).
The experimental fact that only integral numbers of electrons are transferred is the primary evidence for the quantisation of charge.
Step 3: Final Answer:
The blank should be filled with "electrons".
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