1 Physics -- Magnetic Field

Can a constant magnetic field set an electron at rest into motion? Explain.

Can a constant magnetic field set an electron at rest into motion? Explain.

In the presence of a magnetic field, a charged particle, such as an electron, experiences a force known as the Lorentz force. The Lorentz force is given by the equation:

F = q * (v x B)

where F is the force experienced by the particle, q is the charge of the particle, v is its velocity, and B is the magnetic field vector.

In this equation, the cross product (v x B) represents the direction of the force. The force is perpendicular to both the velocity vector (v) of the particle and the magnetic field vector (B). Therefore, if an electron is at rest (v = 0), the cross product (v x B) becomes zero, resulting in no force acting on the electron.


In other words, for a stationary electron, there is no velocity component to interact with the magnetic field and, consequently, no Lorentz force is exerted on it. Therefore, a constant magnetic field alone cannot set an electron at rest into motion.

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