Solved: Griffiths Prob 5.41 | Angular Momentum

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Homework Help Overview

This discussion revolves around a problem from Griffiths' Electromagnetism textbook, specifically focusing on angular momentum in the context of a charged particle's motion in a magnetic field.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster questions whether to assume the initial velocity of the particle is perpendicular to the magnetic field, suggesting this assumption may simplify their calculations regarding angular momentum.

Discussion Status

Participants are engaging with the problem, with one suggesting that the assumption about the particle's motion being in the plane of the page is likely necessary for the problem's context. There is acknowledgment of the lack of explicit information in the problem statement.

Contextual Notes

The problem does not clearly specify the orientation of the particle's motion relative to the magnetic field, leading to discussions about the implications of different assumptions on the analysis.

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[SOLVED] Griffiths Problem 5.41

Homework Statement


This question refers to Griffiths E and M book.

http://www.phys.unsw.edu.au/~gary/PHYS2050_Tut_5.pdf

Homework Equations


The Attempt at a Solution


Am I supposed to assume that the initial velocity is perpendicular to the B-field i.e. in the plane of the page?

I am trying to find the total change in angular momentum and the integral just seems evaluatable unless I do that.
 
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Which problem?
 
5.41
 
anyone?
 
I think you'd get a few more responses if you copy/pasted the question - people are lazy.

I think you're supposed to do it with the particle traveling the in plane of the page - it wouldn't really be too interesting if the particle's motion was parallel to the magnetic field, since the force would be zero due to the Lorentz force law.

The problem doesn't explicitly say that, though... Bad Griffiths!

-Nathan Goldbaum
 

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