Electron acceleration

Remembering that f = ma and the two definitions of electric field strength E....

E = F/q = V/d

... gives the acceleration of an electron in an electric field between plates separated by a distance d as....

a = Ve/med

If a +3000 Volt anode is 2 cm from a cathode, the acceleration is....

3x103 x 1.6x10-19 / (9.11x10-31 x 2x10-2)

= 0.26x10(3 - 19 + 31 + 2)

= 2.6x1016 m/s/s

The acceleration of such a tiny mass can be truly astonishing. The electron reaches ~10% of the speed of light in a time given by the value of Dt in the equation v = a.Dt

Dt = ~10-9 seconds (one nanosecond)