Charged Particle in Fields

About This Experiment

Charged particles in magnetic fields experience the Lorentz force F = qvB, causing them to move in circular paths with radius r = mv/(qB). The radius depends on the particle's mass, velocity, and charge-to-mass ratio. This principle is used in particle accelerators and mass spectrometers.

When both electric and magnetic fields are present, particles can travel in straight lines if the forces balance (velocity selector condition: v = E/B). This allows specific velocities to be selected from a beam of charged particles with different speeds.