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Electric fields vs magnetic fields

Why do particles in an electric field not follow circular motion? Ik in a magnetic field they do.
Reply 1
Avatar for Skiwi
Skiwi
13
Original post by Htx_x346
Why do particles in an electric field not follow circular motion? Ik in a magnetic field they do.


Pretty sure it's because in a magnetic field the force applied is always perpendicular to the particles motion, but in an electric field this is not always the case.
Reply 2
Avatar for Sinnoh
Sinnoh
22
Charged particles in an electric field experience a force in the direction of the field lines. However there's no such thing as magnetic charge; F = qv×B for electrically charged particles in magnetic fields; it's impossible for the force on a charged particle to be parallel to the magnetic field.
So the point isn't why don't charged particles undergo circular orbits in electric fields, it's why don't charged particles follow the field lines of magnetic fields
Reply 3
Avatar for Htx_x346
Htx_x346
OP
17
Original post by Sinnoh
Charged particles in an electric field experience a force in the direction of the field lines. However there's no such thing as magnetic charge; F = qv×B for electrically charged particles in magnetic fields; it's impossible for the force on a charged particle to be parallel to the magnetic field.
So the point isn't why don't charged particles undergo circular orbits in electric fields, it's why don't charged particles follow the field lines of magnetic fields

Thank u, but now I'm confused about that last sentence. Why don't they follow the field lines?
Reply 4
Avatar for Sinnoh
Sinnoh
22
Original post by Htx_x346
Thank u, but now I'm confused about that last sentence. Why don't they follow the field lines?

Electric field lines are described as the direction in which a positive charge would experience a force. Magnetic field lines are different because there's no magnetically charged particles. Rather, the field lines define the direction along which an electric dipole would align itself. I think. EM definitely isn't my strong suit.
Reply 5
Avatar for Htx_x346
Htx_x346
OP
17
Original post by Sinnoh
Electric field lines are described as the direction in which a positive charge would experience a force. Magnetic field lines are different because there's no magnetically charged particles. Rather, the field lines define the direction along which an electric dipole would align itself. I think. EM definitely isn't my strong suit.

Ty

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