The force on an electron moving in a magnetic field will be the largest when its direction is
A)the same as the magnetic field direction.
B)exactly opposite to the magnetic field direction.
C)perpendicular to the magnetic field direction.
D)at an angle other than 90 degrees to the magnetic field direction.
E)none of these

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The force on a charged particle moving in a magnetic field is given by F = q v B sinθ, where q is the charge, v is the velocity, B is the magnetic field, and θ is the angle between the velocity and the magnetic field. The force is maximum when sinθ is maximum, which occurs when θ = 90 degrees, or when the velocity is perpendicular to the magnetic field. Therefore, option C is the correct choice.

The Force on an Electron Moving in a Magnetic Field