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CATHODE RAYS AND CATHODE RAY TUBE 1. They travel in straight lines
2. They cause certain substances that glow or fluorescent e.g. Zinc Sulphide screen.
- When a metal is heated to very high temperature, electrons may be emitted from its surface. This is because 3. They possess kinetic energ
the electrons gain enough energy to enable them to break loose from the force of attraction of the nuclei. 4. They can produce x-rays when suddenly stopped by a metal target.
THERMIONIC EMISSION. 5. They are charged.
- They are negatively charged and therefore are deflected towards the positive plate.
- Thermionic emission is the process of emission of electrons from a metal surface when it is elecricaly
heated.

- When cathode rays pass through a magnetic field, they are deflected downward. The deflection is
determined by Fleming’s left-hand rule and confirms that they are negatively charged.
- Before the heater current is switched on no current is registered in the mA.
- When the heater circuit is switched on, a low voltage of about 6V drives a current through the heater filament
which in turn heats the cathode.
- The hot cathode emits electrons, which are attracted by the anode, thus completing the gap between
electrodes, therefore some current is now registered in mA.
NB/ Cathode rays ;they are beams of electrons produced at the cathode by thermionic emission and
accelerated toward the anode.
CATHODE RAY OSCILLOSCOPE (CRO)
Production of cathode rays
- Cathode ray oscilloscope (CRO) is a development of cathode ray tube (CRT).
- Cathode Rays are streams of electrons moving from the cathode to the anode.

- Cathode rays are produced in a cathode ray tube (CRT) whereby the electrons produced at the cathode by - It consists of the following parts:

thermionic emission are accelerated towards the fluorescent screen by an anode which is connected to the a) Electron gun

positive terminal of an extra high tension (EHT). b) Deflecting system

c) Display system (fluorescent screen)
Note: The tube is evacuated to prevent electrons from interacting with any particles before reaching the
1. The Electron Gun
screen.
Properties of cathode Rays
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- The purpose of the gun is to supply electrons, accelerate them towards the screen and focus the beam to a - Anodes A2 and A1 are at different potentials, that of A1 being higher. There is therefore an electric field
point on the screen. between them. The direction of this field is such as to converge the diverging beam as it leaves the aperture
- It consists of the following parts: of anode A1.
i) Cathode
ii) A grid
iii) Anodes

- The greater the potential difference between anodes A1 and A2, the greater the electronic field intensity and
therefore the greater the degree of focusing. This p.d can be varied at P to produce the desired degree of
focusing. This potential divider is the focusing knob o the control panel.
2. Deflecting system

i) Cathode i) Vertical Deflection (Y-plates)

- The purpose of cathode is to emit electrons when heated.

- It is coated with oxides of thorium or strontium preferred for their low work function.
ii) The Grid
- The cathode is surrounded by a hollow cylinder (the grid) which has a small hole at the end. The cylinder
is at a small negative potential relative to the cathode.
- The grid is used to control the intensity of the beam in that when the grid is made less negative, more
electrons cross over and when made more negative, the number of electrons crossing over to the screen is
- When the beam passes between uncharged horizontal plates, it strikes the screen at A and therefore not
cut down.
deflected.
- Therefore, the grid controls, the intensity of the beam and hence the brightness of spot on the screen.
- When the switch is closed the plates become charged and the beam is attracted towards the positive plate
Note: The brightness knob controls a potential divider which varies the p.d between the grid and the cathode. Y1 and it is deflected to hit the screen at B.
- When the polarity of the plates is reversed, the spot will shift to C through A and if the reversal of the
iii) The Anodes
polarity are sustained, the spot will shift from B to C and back at the frequency of the reversal.
- The anodes consist of cylinder and discs maintained at high positive potential relative to the cathode, so
- If the alternating voltage is applied, the spot moves up and down in accordance with instantaneous voltage
they attract the electrons from the cathode.
at the frequency of the a.c such that if the frequency is high enough a vertical line is observed.
- Their functions include;
i) To accelerate the electrons providing them with enough energy to cause emission of light as they hit N/B; the plates are caused Y-plates since they cause deflection in the vertical direction.
the screen.
ii) Horizontal Deflection (x-plates)
ii) Focusing the electron beam as it leaves the grid, converging the electrons to a sharp point on the
screen.

Note: Focusing the Beam

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- Simultaneous application of the input voltage at the Y-plates and the time base voltage leads to the
movement of the spot on the screen in two dimensions, producing two-dimensional image of the input
voltage on the screen.

- When the switch is closed the beam of electrons is deflected horizontally across the screen from point M
to N.
- The plates are referred to as x-plates since the deflection is horizontal.

The time base circuit

3. The Screen
- A varying voltage is applied x-plates from a special circuit known as the time base.
- The tube is coated with fluorescent substance (Zinc Sulphide) called Phospher which glows on impact
with electrons.
- Inside the tube is coated with graphite which has the following functions:
i) Conduction of electrons
ii) Shielding the beam from external electric fields
iii) Accelerating the electrons towards the screen since it is at the same potential as the anode.

- The voltage increases uniformly to a peak (sweep) and then drops suddenly (fly back). USES OF THE CRO
- As the voltage rises, the spot moves horizontally at a uniform speed until the peak voltage is reached. The
1. As a voltmeter
time base voltage then drops suddenly to a maximum negative value causing the spot to fly back to the
- The time base is switched off, the X –Plates earthed and the voltage to be measured connected across the
starting point at the other end of the screen. The voltage builds up again and the process is repeated in
Y –plates.
subsequent cycles.
- The vertical displacement of the spot on the screen is measured and the voltage determined using the
- When the time of sweep is long (low time base frequency) the spot moves slowly across the screen as
formula.
shown in the figure below.
Voltage = displacement x sensitivity (volts per division)
Advantages of CRO as a voltmeter

(i). Can measure large voltages.

(ii). Can measure both direct and alternating current.

- If the frequency is raised to reduce the time of overlap the movement of the spot gives a permanent trace (iii). Has infinite resistance and does not therefore take any current. It does not therefore interfere with

of a horizontal line across the screen as shown in the figure below. the switch which is connected.
(iv). Responds instantaneously, unlike ordinary meters whose pointer swing momentarily about the
correct reading due to inertia.
2. Determining the frequency of alternating current signal.
- The signal is fed into the Y-plates of a C.R.O with the time base on.
- The time base control is then adjusted to give one or more cycles of the input signal on the screen.
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- The time T of the signal is then determined by relating the trace of the signal on the screen with the time
base setting.
𝟏
- The frequency f can be calculated as 𝒇 = 𝑻

The Television Tube

- The television tube is a cathode ray tube with the following modifications.
i) The deflection of the spot is by magnetic coils.
- Magnetic fields are preferred to electric fields as they give a wider deflection of the beam. This makes it
possible to work with a wide screen with a relatively short tubes.
ii) The incoming signal from the aerial is fed into the grid.
- This effects variations on the intensity of the beam as it sweeps across the screen.
- Dots of varying brightness in successive lines build up the image on the screen. Since this occurs at very
high frequency, there is persistence of vision which gives an impression of a steady picture.
Note. A colour television has three electron guns, each carrying the colour detail of one of the three
primary colours (red, green and blue)

Differences between C.R.T of a T.V to a C.R.O

i) In CRT deflection is caused by magnetic field while in CRO deflection is caused by electric field.
ii) CRT has two time bases while CRO has one time base.

Differences between Cathode rays and electromagnetic radiations.

i) Cathode rays have charge but electromagnetic radiations do not have any charge.
ii) Cathode rays are particles and have a mass while electromagnetic radiations are waves.