Magnetic Field and Charged Particle Motion

Join the discussion
Ask a follow-up here, or get your own question answered by working scientists, mathematicians and engineers — people, not an autocomplete.
Real named experts · corrections over time · the nuance an AI answer skips
5 replies · 3K views
phyvamp
Messages
13
Reaction score
0

Homework Statement


Suppose a subatomic particle of mass m kg has kinetic energy K.E. a nJ and is moving southward toward a vertical wall. When the particle is distance d cm from the wall a magnetic field is turned on: it has magnitude b T and points upward. The particle turns westward so it just skims along the wall. Find q, the charge (magnitude and sign) of the particle, in C.

Homework Equations


dF=IdLB
F=qvB

The Attempt at a Solution


I attempt to use 1/2 mv^2 = K.E. to find initial velocity first, but the direction of velocity is changed due to magnetic field. the magnitude of the velocity will change also? and I do not know how to find out the force acted on particle due to magnitude field either. Does K.E.=∫ F*dx from xi=0 to xf=d to find out F works? is this F the same with force due to magnitude field? or actually I need to consider about gravity?
thank you for your help!
 
Physics news on Phys.org
What path does the charged particle follow due to the presence of the magnetic field?
 
phyvamp said:

Homework Statement


Suppose a subatomic particle of mass m kg has kinetic energy K.E. a nJ and is moving southward toward a vertical wall. When the particle is distance d cm from the wall a magnetic field is turned on: it has magnitude b T and points upward. The particle turns westward so it just skims along the wall. Find q, the charge (magnitude and sign) of the particle, in C.

Homework Equations


dF=IdLB
F=qvB

The Attempt at a Solution


I attempt to use 1/2 mv^2 = K.E. to find initial velocity first, but the direction of velocity is changed due to magnetic field. the magnitude of the velocity will change also? and I do not know how to find out the force acted on particle due to magnitude field either. Does K.E.=∫ F*dx from xi=0 to xf=d to find out F works? is this F the same with force due to magnitude field? or actually I need to consider about gravity?
thank you for your help!
A magnetic field produces a force at right angles to the direction of motion of a moving charge. The particulars are determined by a vector cross product of the velocity and field vectors, or through the application of the right- or left-hand rule.

As is the case for circular motion, which you must have studied previously, the acceleration is at right angles to the motion and so changes the direction of the velocity vector but not its magnitude (speed). So, think about centripetal force and the types of calculations that pertain to it.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: phyvamp
gneill said:
A magnetic field produces a force at right angles to the direction of motion of a moving charge. The particulars are determined by a vector cross product of the velocity and field vectors, or through the application of the right- or left-hand rule.

As is the case for circular motion, which you must have studied previously, the acceleration is at right angles to the motion and so changes the direction of the velocity vector but not its magnitude (speed). So, think about centripetal force and the types of calculations that pertain to it.

thank you for the explanation. So magnetic field will not change the magnitude of the velocity generally? or this question just a particular case since acceleration is at right angles to the motion?
 
phyvamp said:
thank you for the explanation. So magnetic field will not change the magnitude of the velocity generally? or this question just a particular case since acceleration is at right angles to the motion?
In general a magnetic field won't change the speed of a charged particle moving through it. Any force that a moving charge "feels" due to its interaction with a magnetic field is always perpendicular to its direction of travel. It can change it's direction of travel, but not its speed.

To investigate further it would be helpful to know about the properties of the vector cross product. That's the mathematical approach. You can also investigate the "right hand rule" or "left hand rule" practical embodiments of the cross product properties that are used in practice to determine the direction of the effects.
 
gneill said:
In general a magnetic field won't change the speed of a charged particle moving through it. Any force that a moving charge "feels" due to its interaction with a magnetic field is always perpendicular to its direction of travel. It can change it's direction of travel, but not its speed.

To investigate further it would be helpful to know about the properties of the vector cross product. That's the mathematical approach. You can also investigate the "right hand rule" or "left hand rule" practical embodiments of the cross product properties that are used in practice to determine the direction of the effects.

thanks again for the explanation.