A proton is accelerated from rest through 500 V. It enters a magnetic field of 0.30 T oriented perpendicular to its direction of motion. Determine the radius of the path it follows.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The kinetic energy gained by the proton is equal to the work done by the electric field, which is qV = 500 eV. This energy is converted into kinetic energy, 0.5mv^2. Solving for v and using the formula for the radius of a charged particle in a magnetic field, r = mv/(qB), we find the radius to be approximately 1.1 cm.

A Proton Is Accelerated from Rest Through 500 V