SPH4U Unit: Electric, Gravitational, and Magnetic Fields

Motion of Charged Particles in Electric Fields

The acceleration of a charge, q, moving in a field is,

FE = ma FE = ma

qs qt qt
r
r

this is an instantaneous acceleration because _______________________________

In order to analysis the motion of the test charge in a varying electric field, it is much
easier to use conservation of energy.

Motion of Charged Particles in a Uniform Electric Field

The motion of a charged particle in a uniform electric field such as the field inside two
parallel plates is much simpler:

Work done for a force in the direction of the displacement:

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SPH4U Motion of Charged Particles in Electric Fields

1. A positive charge of magnitude, q, is placed at position, A, between two charged

parallel plates as shown to the left. The parallel plates have a potential difference of
V and are separated by a distance, d. State the increase or decrease in potential
energy of the particle when it is moved from (a) A to B; (b) B to C; (c) C to D; (d) D to
E

2. A small particle of mass 1.010-5 kg and charge +1.510-5 C is released from rest at
position 1, which has a potential that is 12 V higher than the potential at position 2,
as show in the figure.
a) What will happen to the particle upon release?
b) What is the speed of the particle at position 2?

q
1 2
Solution:

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SPH4U Motion of Charged Particles in Electric Fields

3. An electron is released from rest from the negative plate of a parallel-plate

apparatus.
a) At what speed will the electron hit the positive plate if a 450-V potential
difference is applied?
b) What is the electrons speed one-third of the way between the plates?

Solution:

4. An electron with a speed of 1.2105 m/s enters a region where there is a uniform
electric field with = 500.0 N/C, as shown in the figure below.
a) Prove that gravitational influences can be neglected in this situation.
b) If, after traveling for some distance d in the field, the electron comes to
rest for an instant, in which direction is the field?
c) Calculate d.
d

e- entering field e- stopped

= 500.0 N/C

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SPH4U Motion of Charged Particles in Electric Fields

5. Two protons move toward each other at 4.0106 m/s. How close together do they
get?

6. An electron gun creates a beam of electrons moving horizontally with a speed of

3.3107 m/s. The electrons enter a 2.0-cm-long gap between two parallel electrodes
where the electric field is
E = 5.0104 N/C [down]. In which direction, and by what
angle, is the electron beam deflected by these electrodes?

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