Activities

1. Start with no initial velocity, and with just the electric field turned on. What does the charged particle do? If you reverse the sign on the charged particle, what happens?
2. Now, give the charged particle an initial velocity in the x-direction. Try turning on the electric field in just the x-direction, and then in just the y-direction. What do you observe about the motion of the charged particle in these cases? Write down the expression for the force the electric field exerts on the charged particle. Are your observations consistent with this expression?
3. Once again, start with no initial velocity, and with just the magnetic field turned on. What does the charged particle do? If you reverse the sign on the charged particle, what happens?
4. Now, give the charged particle an initial velocity in the x-direction. Try turning on the magnetic field in just the x-direction, and then in just the z-direction. What do you observe about the motion of the charged particle in these cases? Write down the expression for the force the magnetic field exerts on the charged particle. Are your observations consistent with this expression?
5. Finally, turn on both electric and magnetic fields, and see what kind of motions you can get.