J.J. Thomson's cathode-ray tube experiment demonstrated that
- cathode rays are streams of negatively charged ions
- all the mass of an atom is essentially in the nucleus
- the e/m of electrons is much greater than the e/m of protons
- the e/m ratio of the cathode-ray particles changes when a different gas is placed in the discharge tube
Answer
(3) the e/m of electrons is much greater than the e/m of protons
Solution
Thomson deflected cathode rays in crossed electric and magnetic fields and measured their specific charge:
em 1.76 1011 C kg-1
This is about 1836 times the e/m of the hydrogen ion (proton), 9.6 107 C kg-1.
⇒ The e/m of electrons is much greater than that of protons.
(1) is wrong: cathode rays are electrons, not ions. (2) is the result of Rutherford's α-scattering experiment. (4) is wrong: e/m was found to be the same whatever gas or cathode material was used.
Answer: (3)