Millikan Oil Drop Experiment

The Millikan Oil Drop Experiment measured the electrical charge of a tiny droplet of oil. By balancing the gravitational force pulling the droplet downward with the upward electric force from applied charges, scientists could determine the droplet’s charge. They adjusted the electric field until the droplet remained suspended, revealing the smallest possible unit of electric charge, known as the elementary charge. This experiment helped confirm that electric charge is quantized and provided insight into the fundamental nature of electricity.