Acceleration of an electron through a uniform electric field

In summary, the conversation discusses the calculation of work done on an electron in an electric field and its resulting speed. The work done is calculated using the equation W=\epsilonq\Deltad and the resulting speed is found to be 1.0x10^-18 J. However, when using the equation W=\DeltaE_{K}, which rearranges to v_{2}=\sqrt{2W/m}+v_{1}, the resulting speed is incorrect. A correct method is suggested, where the equation 1/2 m v_f^2 = 1/2 m v_i^2 + W is used, resulting in a speed of 1.9x10^6 m/s.
  • #1
XJellieBX
40
0
Question:
An electron is accelerated through a uniform electric field of magnitude 2.5x10^2 N/C with an initial speed of 1.2x10^6 m/s parallel to the electric field.

-----------<---------------
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e- ----------------------->
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a) Calculate the work done on the electron by the field when the electron has traveled 2.5cm in the field.
b) Calculate the speed of the electron after it has traveled 2.5 cm in the field.

My attempt:
For a), I used W=[tex]\epsilon[/tex]q[tex]\Delta[/tex]d
and I got 1.0x10^-18 J.

For b), I tried
W=[tex]\Delta[/tex][tex]E_{K}[/tex]
=0.5m[tex]v_{2}^{2}[/tex]-0.5m[tex]v_{1}^{2}[/tex]
After rearranging the equation to solve for [tex]v_{2}[/tex],
[tex]v_{2}[/tex]=[tex]\sqrt{2W/m}[/tex]+[tex]v_{1}[/tex]
=2.7x10^6m/s
for m, I plugged in the mass of an e-.

However, the answer is supposed to be 1.9x10^6 m/s.
Can someone please tell me what I'm doing wrong?
 
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  • #2
XJellieBX said:
For b), I tried
W=[tex]\Delta[/tex][tex]E_{K}[/tex]
=0.5m[tex]v_{2}^{2}[/tex]-0.5m[tex]v_{1}^{2}[/tex]
This is OK.
After rearranging the equation to solve for [tex]v_{2}[/tex],
[tex]v_{2}[/tex]=[tex]\sqrt{2W/m}[/tex]+[tex]v_{1}[/tex]
But this is not OK.

Try this:

[tex]1/2 m v_f^2 = 1/2 m v_i^2 + W[/tex]
[tex]v_f^2 = (2/m)(1/2 m v_i^2 + W)[/tex]

...and so on.
 
  • #3
Thank you =)
 

FAQ: Acceleration of an electron through a uniform electric field

What is acceleration?

Acceleration is the rate of change of an object's velocity over time. It is a vector quantity, which means it has both magnitude and direction.

How is acceleration calculated?

Acceleration can be calculated using the formula a = (vf - vi)/t, where a is acceleration, vf is final velocity, vi is initial velocity, and t is time.

What is an electron?

An electron is a subatomic particle with a negative charge that orbits the nucleus of an atom. It is one of the basic building blocks of matter.

What is a uniform electric field?

A uniform electric field is a region in space where the electric field strength is constant. This means that the electric field lines are equally spaced and parallel to each other.

How does an electric field affect the acceleration of an electron?

An electron will experience a force when placed in an electric field. The direction of this force is determined by the direction of the electric field and the charge of the electron. This force will cause the electron to accelerate in the direction of the electric field.

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