Magnetic Force on a Charge (Edexcel IGCSE Physics)
Revision Note
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Magnetic Force on a Charge
- When a current-carrying wire is placed in a magnetic field, it will experience a force if the wire is perpendicular
- This is because the magnetic field exerts a force on each individual electron flowing through the wire
- Therefore, when a charged particle passes through a magnetic field, the field can exert a force on the particle, causing it to deflect
- The force is always at 90 degrees to both the direction of travel and the magnetic field lines
- The direction can be worked out by using Fleming's left-hand rule
The electron experiences a force upwards when it travels through the magnetic field between the two poles
- If the particle is travelling perpendicular to the field lines:
- It will experience the maximum force
- If the particle is travelling parallel to the field lines:
- It will experience no force
- If the particle is travelling at an angle to the field lines:
- It will experience a small force
Exam Tip
Remember that the direction of current flow in Fleming's Left-Hand Rule is from positive to negative. This means it is in the opposite direction to the direction of travel of an electron (which is negatively charged)
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