All Problems

Motion of Charged Particles in Electric and Magnetic Fields

Problem 3.387

Uniform electric and magnetic fields with strength EE and induction BB respectively are directed along the yy axis (Fig. 3.101). A particle with specific charge q/mq / m leaves the origin OO in the direction of the xx axis with an initial non-relativistic velocity v0.v_{0} . Find: (a) the coordinate yny_{n} of the particle when it crosses the yy axis for the nn th time; (b) the angle α\alpha between the particle's velocity vector and the yy axis at that moment.

Reveal Answer
(a) yn=2π2mEn2qB2y_{n}=\frac{2 \pi^{2} m E n^{2}}{q B^{2}} (b) tanα=v0B2πEn\tan \alpha=\frac{v_{0} B}{2 \pi E n}.