Solving a Simple Problem: Frustration with Mechanics

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Homework Help Overview

The original poster is struggling with a mechanics problem involving a charged particle moving through a constant magnetic field. The problem specifies the time the particle spends in the field and its trajectory, which is described as a quarter circle. Key parameters include the magnetic field strength, radius of the circular path, and mass of the particle.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Mathematical reasoning

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster attempts to calculate the velocity of the particle and is particularly focused on determining the x and y components of the velocity after a specific time. There is uncertainty about the angle corresponding to the distance traveled in the magnetic field, leading to questions about the relationship between time and angular displacement.

Discussion Status

Participants are providing insights into the nature of circular motion and the relationship between angles and distances in this context. Some suggest using kinematic principles related to circular motion to find the angle, while others emphasize the importance of using radians for angle measurements. There is an ongoing exploration of how to apply these concepts to the problem at hand.

Contextual Notes

There is a noted difficulty in calculating the angle and the corresponding components of velocity, as well as a potential misunderstanding regarding the use of degrees versus radians in the calculations. The original poster expresses frustration with the problem, indicating a lack of confidence in their approach.

wuffle
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Once again I can't seem to do this simple problem, not sure why.

hate mechanics :(

Homework Statement



Charged particle enters a region containing constant magnetic field and leaves it after 708 micro seconds, what is Fx, the x component of the force after being 236 micro seconds long in the constant magnetic field
Also it travels a quarter circle(not sure if the right word, basically a half of a semicircle)

we're given:

B=1.2 T
R=0.95 m
m=5.7*10^-8 kg

Homework Equations



ma=qvb

The Attempt at a Solution



I calculated the constant velocity when the charge is in the magnetic field, the only problem i have is calculating Vx and Vy after 236μsec, particularly i can't find the angle, one way i tried solving it is realizing that 236/708 is 1/3, so distance that particle has traveled is

(2piR/4)/3 which i found to be 0.49742...then idk, i thought maybe the angle would be 60 deg or 30 deg since it has traveled 1/3 of the way so i tried finding Vx=V*cos(30) or Vx=V*cos(60) but it didn't work out, i think i know that on halfway the angle is 45(Vx=Vy), but that's it, basically the equation i got is

Fx=m*(V*cos(theta))^2/R and I can't find theta :(
 
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When the particle enters the B field, it has circular motion.
So you can use the kinematics of circular motion to find the angle that rotates through by the time it leaves the field.
 
The force stays perpendicular to the motion so the speed stays constant. A quarter circle is 90 degrees so a third of it is 30 degrees.
 
Though you are encouraged to think of angles in radians.

The size of an angle is the distance around the circumference of a unit circle that is inside the angle.

The total distance around the whole circle is ##2\pi##.
A half circle is therefore ##\pi## and a quarter circle is ##\pi/2##.
The units here are "radius units" or "radians" for short.

Use these and a lot of physics equations will make more sense - like the arc-length inside angle ##\theta## at distance ##r## is ##s=r\theta##. If you used degrees you have to say that ##s=\pi r/180## .

A lot of trig starts to make sense as well ... like the tangent of the angle is the distance along the tangent to the unit circle that is inside the angle, and the sine is the length of the cord that is inside the angle.
 

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