Rotating Frames: charges in a magnetic field

AI Thread Summary
The discussion focuses on understanding the dynamics of a charge +Q orbiting a fixed charge -Q' in a magnetic field B, specifically regarding the acceleration equations in both inertial and rotating frames. The participants analyze the substitution of acceleration and velocity terms, leading to a cancellation of terms proportional to the velocity in the rotating frame when the angular velocity is set to -Q/(2m)B. There is confusion regarding the nature of the terms involved, particularly the distinction between scalars and vectors, and the correct interpretation of the cross product. The concept of cyclotron and Larmor frequencies is introduced, indicating that the motion is radial in a frame rotating at the cyclotron frequency. The discussion highlights the complexities of analyzing motion in rotating frames and the implications for the velocity of the charge.
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I've got a problem understanding a line of proof in my lecture notes.

Given that you have a charge of +Q and mass m orbiting a fixed particle of charge -Q' in the presence of a magnetic field B. The particle is moving slowly enough for relativistic effects to be ignored.

Given that:

m\hat{a_{I}}=-\frac{QQ'}{4\pi\epsilon_{0}r^{2}}\hat{r}+Q\hat{v_{I}} \times \hat{B}

where \hat{v_{I}} is the particle's velocity in the inertial frame.

Substituting

\hat{a_{I}}=\hat{a_{R}}+2\hat{\omega} \times \hat{v_{R}}+\hat{\omega} \times (\hat{\omega} \times \hat{r})

into the first equation along with \hat{v_{I}}=\hat{v_{R}}+\hat{\omega} \times \hat{r}

gives:

\hat{a_{R}}+2\hat{\omega} \times \hat{v_{R}}+\hat{\omega} \times (\hat{\omega} \times \hat{r}) = -\frac{QQ'}{4\pi\epsilon_{0}mr^{2}}\hat{r}+(\frac{Q}{m})[\hat{v_{R}}+(\hat{\omega} \times \hat{r})] \times \hat{B}

Apparently the terms porportional to \hat{v_{R}} cancel if \hat{\omega}=-\frac{Q}{2m}\hat{B}

Why is this so? Visualizing the situation will probably help a lot.
 
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What is \omega \times r? Are these scalars or vectors? You are mixing scalars and vectors here.
 
Born2bwire said:
What is \omega \times r? Are these scalars or vectors? You are mixing scalars and vectors here.

I've corrected it now. The \times is supposed to be the cross product. I didn't know what the latex is for cross product.
 
This is just a guess. To me that looks like the cyclotron frequency in the presence of a net charge. So the motion is purely radial in a reference frame which is rotating at the cyclotron frequency.
 
DaleSpam said:
This is just a guess. To me that looks like the cyclotron frequency in the presence of a net charge. So the motion is purely radial in a reference frame which is rotating at the cyclotron frequency.

Well, the omega frequency is known as the larmor frequency. It is half the cyclotron frequency. The charge +Q is precessing around the charge -Q. I don't understand how the velocity in the rotating frame cancels, giving that it is orbiting in the rotating frame (which means there must be a v subscript R).
 
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