A charged particle moves in a magnetic field. What path does it follow?
Practice Questions
Q1
A charged particle moves in a magnetic field. What path does it follow?
Straight line
Circular path
Elliptical path
Parabolic path
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
A charged particle moves in a magnetic field. What path does it follow?
Step 1: Understand that a charged particle is a particle with an electric charge, like an electron or proton.
Step 2: Know that a magnetic field is an area around a magnet where magnetic forces can be felt.
Step 3: When a charged particle moves through a magnetic field, it experiences a force due to the magnetic field.
Step 4: This force acts at a right angle (perpendicular) to the direction the particle is moving.
Step 5: Because the force is always perpendicular to the velocity, it changes the direction of the particle's motion but not its speed.
Step 6: As a result, the particle moves in a circular path instead of a straight line.
Magnetic Force on Charged Particles – A charged particle in a magnetic field experiences a force that is perpendicular to both its velocity and the magnetic field, causing it to move in a circular path.
Circular Motion – The motion of the charged particle is circular due to the constant perpendicular force acting on it, which changes the direction of the velocity but not its magnitude.