Animated Solution for Physics - Magnetic Effects of Current: Proton with kinetic energy of 1 MeV moves from south to north. It gets an acceleration of 1012 m/s2 by an applied magnetic field (west to east). The value of magnetic field (rest mass of proton is 1.6×10−27 kg)
Select Answer:
Visualized Solution
Magnetic Force on a Moving Charge
Velocity of proton, v is towards North.
Magnetic field, B is towards East.
Force Equations
Magnetic force: Fm=qvBsin(90∘)=qvB
Newton's Second Law: F=ma
Equating Forces
ma=qvB
⇒B=qvma
Kinetic Energy to Velocity
Kinetic Energy, K=21mv2
⇒v=m2K
Calculating Velocity
K=1 MeV=1.6×10−13 J
v=1.6×10−272×1.6×10−13=2×107 m/s
Substituting Values
B=1.6×10−19×2×1071.6×10−27×1012
Final Answer
B=21×10−3 T
B≈0.707 mT
The Way Forward
For an electron, the force direction reverses.
Always use the right-hand rule carefully!
00:00 / 00:00
The Sigma Insight: Motion of a Charge in Magnetic Fields
Solution Diagram
Imagine a proton, a tiny positively charged particle, cruising steadily from South to North. It's moving with a kinetic energy of 1 MeV. Suddenly, it enters a region where an invisible magnetic field is pointing from West to East. What happens next is a beautiful dance of physics!
The Setup
A Proton's Journey
When a charged particle moves through a magnetic field, it doesn't just pass through unaffected. It experiences a force. According to the right-hand rule, if you point your fingers in the direction of the velocity (North) and curl them towards the magnetic field (East), your thumb points downwards. This means the magnetic force pushes the proton directly into the plane of its motion!
The Invisible Hand
Magnetic Force
The magnitude of this magnetic force is given by the elegant equation:
Fm=qvBsin(θ)
Since the proton is moving perpendicular to the magnetic field, θ=90∘, and sin(90∘)=1. So, the force simplifies to Fm=qvB.
But wait, the problem tells us that this force gives the proton an acceleration of 1012 m/s2. Enter Newton's second law! We know that any net force equals mass times acceleration:
F=ma
By equating these two forces, we get a powerful relationship:
ma=qvB
Since we are on a quest to find the magnetic field B, let's rearrange this equation:
B=qvma
Bridging the Gap
From Energy to Velocity
We have the mass m, the acceleration a, and the charge q. But we are missing the velocity v! Don't panic. The problem gave us the proton's kinetic energy, K=1 MeV.
First, let's convert this energy into standard SI units (Joules). We know that 1 eV=1.6×10−19 J, so:
K=106×1.6×10−19 J=1.6×10−13 J
Now, recall the classic kinetic energy formula:
K=21mv2
Rearranging for velocity, we get:
v=m2K
Let's plug in the numbers:
v=1.6×10−272×1.6×10−13
Notice how beautifully the 1.6 cancels out! We are left with:
v=2×1014=2×107 m/s
The Final Calculation
Putting It All Together
Now that we have the velocity, we can finally find the magnetic field. Let's bring back our equation for B:
B=qvma
Substitute all our known values:
B=1.6×10−19×2×1071.6×10−27×1012
Once again, the 1.6 in the numerator and denominator perfectly cancel each other out. Let's combine the powers of 10:
B=2×10−1210−15=21×10−3 T
Since 21≈0.707, we can write:
B≈0.707×10−3 T=0.707 mT
Rounding to two significant digits, we get our final answer: 0.71 mT.
Physics is all about connecting the dots. By linking kinetic energy to velocity, and magnetic force to Newton's laws, we unveiled the invisible magnetic field steering our proton!