The Motion Of Charged

Particles in Magnetic Fields

SACE Stage 2 Physics

 Magnetic Forces on Moving
Charges
(1) Magnetic fields are caused by electric currents and exert forces on
electric currents.

(2) Electric currents consist of moving electric charges. The force on a

current wire is in fact caused by the force on the moving charges.

(3) The charges experience these forces whether they are moving in a
conductor or not eg
I
F
+
+
F + B F
Force
+ perpendicular to v
+ and B and into
F + the page

v
Directed into
the page
 Magnetic Forces on Moving
Charges
Expression for the force on a moving charge,

since F  IlB sin 

q
and I 
t
q
 F  lB sin 
t
l
 F  q B sin 
t
 F  qvB sin 
where v is the speed of the moving charge and  the angle between the vectors v and B.
 Magnetic Forces on Moving
Charges

Direction is given by the R.H palm rule.(Need to reverse direction of thumb for
a negative charge)
Size of F = qvB sin 
= qvB when at 90o to the B field

Direction of F is perpendicular and into the plane of page.

NB the force on a positive charge would be perpendicular and out of the

plane of the page.

B
v
 Direction of the Force
Magnetic forces remain at 90o to both v and B. To do this they must change
direction continually.
Cross shows
B is
directed
      into the
plane of the
v page
   v   
Charge undergoes
  F v   circular motion,
F changing velocity with
    v   out changing speed,
F
no work done on
      charge and kinetic
energy remains
constant.
Factors which affect the
magnitude of the force
F  qvB sin 
Fmax occurs when sin=90o.
F=0 occurs when sin=0o.
 Example
An electron moving with speed v = 2.00 x 106 ms-1 enters a uniform
magnetic field of strength B=4.50T at an angle of  = 400 to the field,
as shown in the diagram. Find,
(a) The magnitude of the force on the electron
(b) The direction of the force on the electron
(c) What would be the force on an electron moving left to right in this field?
(d) What would be the force on an electron moving down the page as it
enters this field?

=400
 Example
(a) The magnitude of the force on the electron

F  qvB sin 
 1.6 10 19  2 106  4.50  sin 400
 9.26 10 13 N
(b) The direction of the force on the electron

The force is directed out of the page, right hand rule.

 Example
(c) What would be the force on an electron moving left to right in this field?

F=0N as electron is moving parallel to magnetic field (sin 0 = 0).

(d) What would be the force on an electron moving down the page as it
enters this field?

F  qvB
 1.6  10 19  2  106  4.50
 1.44 1012 N
 Motion of a Charged Particle in
a Magnetic Field
      Magnetic force provides the
centripetal acceleration.

     
Fcentripetal  Fmagnetic
v
mv 2
  
v
    qvB sin 
r
F v
mv
   F     qB sin 
v r
F
mv  qBr (sin 900  1)
     
mv
r
qB
     
Motion of a Charged Particle in
a Magnetic Field

If m, q and B are held constant, higher speed  larger radius.

     

    2r  
r

     
F1 2x106 m/s
106 m/s F2

     

     
 Example
A Bainbridge mass spectromoter is used to measure the mass of zinc ions
(Zn+). The ions enter a magnetic field, of strength B=1.8T with a speed of
4.2 x 104 ms-1 and they move in a circular path of radius r = 1.7cm.
What is the mass of the zinc ions?
 Example
A Bainbridge mass spectromoter is used to measure the mass of zinc ions
(Zn+). The ions enter a magnetic field, of strength B=1.8T with a speed of
4.2 x 104 ms-1 and they move in a circular path of radius r = 1.7cm.
What is the mass of the zinc ions?

mv
r
qB
qBr
m
v
1.6  10 19  1.8 1.7 10  2

4.2  10 4
 1.17  10 25 kg
 Use of Magnetic Fields in
Cyclotrons
Particles moving in a cyclotron are subjected to a uniform magnetic field
which causes the particles to move in a circular path.
Each time the charged particle enters a Dee it follows a semi-circular path
and each time it traverses to the other Dee its speed is greater than
before as it is subjected to an Electric field. Its energy has increased by
W=qV.
 Use of Magnetic Fields in
Cyclotrons
Circumference of a circle,
The period of the charged C  2r (length of one semicircle  r )
particle is independent of its
speed, this can be shown by  time to traverse one semicircle
the following, r
t
v
mv
but r 
qB
rqB
v 
m
rm m
thus t  
rqB qB
 time taken to complete one full revolution
2m
t
qB
 Use of Magnetic Fields in
Cyclotrons
The Kinetic Energy can be found by,

Ek  1 2 mv 2
2
 rqB  mv
 2 m
1
 as r 
 m  qB
q 2 B 2r 2

2m
 Use of Magnetic Fields in
Cyclotrons
Example,
A cyclotron is used to accelerate dueterons (q = 1.6 x 10-19C) of mass
3.34 x 10-27 kg. The radius of the cyclotron is 30cm and the
magnetic field applied to it has strength 1.6T. Find
(a) The period of the particles in their circular path.
(b) The energy (in eV) of the particles leaving the cyclotron.
 Use of Magnetic Fields in
Cyclotrons
(a) The period of the particles in their circular path.

2m
T
qB
2    3.34  10  27

1.6  10 19  1.6
 8.2  10 8 s
 Use of Magnetic Fields in
Cyclotrons
(b) The energy (in eV) of the particles leaving the cyclotron.
q 2 B 2r 2
K
2m
(1.6  10 19 ) 2  (1.6) 2  (0.3) 2

2  3.34  10  27
 8.83 10 13 J
change into eV 
8.83 10-13

1.6 10 19
 5.52 106 eV
 5.52 MeV