All Problems

Motion of Charged Particles in Electric and Magnetic Fields

Problem 3.377

At the moment t=0t=0 a relativistic proton flies with a velocity v0\mathbf{v}_ {0} into the region where there is a uniform transverse electric field of strength E\mathrm{E}, with v0E\mathbf{v}_ {0} \perp \mathbf{E}. Find the time dependence of (a) the angle θ\theta between the proton's velocity vector v\mathbf{v} and the initial direction of its motion; (b) the projection vxv_{x} of the vector v\mathbf{v} on the initial direction of motion.

Reveal Answer
3.377. (a) tanθ=eEtm0v01(v0/c)2\tan \theta=\frac{e E t}{m_{0} v_{0}} \sqrt{1-\left(v_{0} / c\right)^{2}}, where ee and m0m_{0} are the charge and the mass of a proton; (b) vx=v0/1+(1v02/c2)(eEt/m0c2)2v_{x}=v_{0} / \sqrt{1+\left(1-v_{0}^{2} / c^{2}\right)\left(e E t / m_{0} c^{2}\right)^{2}}