Question map
A proton and an electron having equal velocity are allowed to pass through a uniform magnetic field. Which one of the following statements is correct in this connection?
Explanation
The magnetic force (Lorentz force) acting on a moving charged particle is given by the formula F = q(v × B), where 'q' is the charge, 'v' is the velocity, and 'B' is the magnetic field [t4][t5]. The magnitude of this force is F = qvB sin θ [t6]. Since a proton and an electron have the same magnitude of electric charge (approximately 1.6 × 10⁻¹⁹ C), they will experience the same magnitude of force when moving with equal velocity through the same uniform magnetic field [t1][t3]. However, because the proton has a positive charge and the electron has a negative charge, the direction of the force exerted on them will be exactly opposite according to the right-hand rule [t1][t2]. While their masses differ significantly, the magnetic force depends only on charge, velocity, and field strength, not mass [t6].