What will happen if a collection of positive and negative charges are passed at a high speed through a magnetic field which is perpendicular to the direction of motion of the charges? (Assume that both kind of charges are NOT going to recombine)

The correct answer is Both kinds of charges will keep moving uninterrupted.

Key Points

• When a collection of positive and negative charges is passed at high speed through a magnetic field that is perpendicular to the direction of motion of the charges, a force known as the Lorentz force acts on each charge.
• The Lorentz force (F) on a charged particle moving in a magnetic field is given by the equation:
  • F = q⋅v⋅B
  • where:
    • q is the charge of the particle,
    • v is the velocity of the particle, and
    • B is the magnetic field strength.
• Both positive and negative charges will experience the Lorentz force, but unless there are additional forces or conditions, they will continue moving.

Additional Information

• Lorentz force acts on each charge, and unless some external force opposes their motion, the charges will continue to experience the Lorentz force and keep moving.
• The Lorentz force acts in the same direction for both positive and negative charges, so they will not separate based on their charge.
• Both positive and negative charges experience the Lorentz force, and unless some other force acts on them, they are expected to continue moving.