Question map
A beam of positively charged particles, say A, is going from north to south. On the other hand, a beam of negatively charged particles, say B, is going from south to north. Which one of the following in this respect is correct?
Explanation
A beam of positively charged particles (A) moving from north to south constitutes a conventional current in the north-to-south direction. Conversely, a beam of negatively charged particles (B) moving from south to north also constitutes a conventional current in the north-to-south direction, because the direction of current is opposite to the flow of negative charges. According to the principles of electromagnetism, parallel currents flowing in the same direction exert an attractive magnetic force on each other. Additionally, since the beams consist of opposite charges (positive and negative), they experience an electrostatic force of attraction [3]. Both the magnetic attraction between parallel currents and the electrostatic attraction between opposite charges result in the beams being deflected toward each other. Therefore, beam B is deflected towards beam A.
Sources
- [2] Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 5: Exploring Forces > Activity 5.7: Let us experiment > p. 71
- [3] Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 5: Exploring Forces > Snapshots > p. 77