How can the motion of a charged particle be used to distinguish between a magnetic field and an electric field in a certain region? The charged particle follows a spiral path in a magnetic field. The charged particle follows a linear path in a magnetic field. The charged particle follows a spiral path in an electric field

Question

Physics

Riley Mooney

17 January, 16:44

How can the motion of a charged particle be used to distinguish between a magnetic field and an electric field in a certain region? The charged particle follows a spiral path in a magnetic field. The charged particle follows a linear path in a magnetic field. The charged particle follows a spiral path in an electric field

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Answers (1)

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Talan Whitney · Answer 1

The charged particle follows a spiral path in a magnetic field.

Explanation:

A charge immersed in a region with an electric field experiences a force that acts along the same direction of the electric field. In particular:

- The force has the same direction as the electric field if the charge is positive

- The force has the opposite direction as the electric field if the charge is negative

Therefore, a charge moving in an electric field is accelerated along the direction of the electric field.

On the other hand, a charge in motion in a region with a magnetic field experiences a force that acts perpendicular to the direction of the field. This means that a charge in motion in a magnetic field will acquire a circular motion in the plane perpendicular to the direction of the magnetic field.

As a result, if the particle has also a original motion outside this plane, its final motion will consist of:

- A uniform motion along that direction, +

- A circular motion along the plane perpendicular to the field

So, the resultant motion of the particle will be a spiral path. So the correct answer is

The charged particle follows a spiral path in a magnetic field.