What is the direction of the magnetic field at point P?

[ehilge]

Homework Statement

A positively charged particle moving in the direction of the positive x-axis feels no magnetic force when it passes through point P. When moving in the direction of the positive z axis, the particle experiences a magnetic force in the positive y direction when it passes through point P. Thus the magnetic field B at point P is directed along:.

Homework Equations

F=q(v x b)

right hand rule

The Attempt at a Solution

Since the particle feels no force when traveling in the direction of positive x, (v x b) must be 0 and the only way this happens is if the angle between the is the angle between the velocity and B field is 0 or 180. So the B field must be parallel to the x axis. Now the question states when the particle moves along the + z axis, it feels a force in the positive y direction. Due to the right hand rule, I believe that this must mean the b field is in the -x direction. Fingers in the direction of the velocity (+z), thumb in the direction of the force (+y), curl fingers towards the B field, which then must be the -x direction.

However, the answer is not the -x axis. Could you please show me where I went wrong in my reasoning and help me find the correct answer?
Thanks!

 

[LowlyPion]

Care must be taken to use a right hand coordinate system.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e2/Cartesian_coordinate_system_handedness.svg

The one on the right is the right handed orientation.

The one on the left will yield -x for your problem.

(See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right_hand_rule )

 

[Redbelly98]

Your description of how you solved this is correct, but for some reason you came up with -x instead of +x.

I am just guessing, either you used your left hand by mistake, or you are picturing the x,y,z axes incorrectly.

If the axes are set up properly, then +x × +y = +z

EDIT
LowlyPion beat me to it.

 

[ehilge]

Yup, after reviewing that, it appears that I definitely used a left hand coordinate system. Thanks for your help.