The force on a charged particle created by its motion in a magnetic field is maximum at what angle between the particle velocity and field?
A)zero
B)180°
C)90°
D)45°

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The force on a charged particle is given by the equation F=qvBsinθ, where q is the charge, v is the velocity of the particle, B is the magnetic field, and θ is the angle between the velocity and the magnetic field. The sine function is maximum at 90°, so the force is maximum when the velocity and the magnetic field are perpendicular to each other, i.e. at 90°. Therefore, the correct answer is C.

The Force on a Charged Particle Created by Its Motion