An electron enters with a velocity $\vec{v} = v_0\hat{i}$ into a cubical region (faces parallel to coordinate planes) in which there are uniform electric and magnetic fields. The orbit of the electron is found to spiral down inside the cube in plane parallel to the $x$-$y$ plane. Suggest a configuration of fields $\vec{E}$ and $\vec{B}$ that can lead to it.

An electron enters with a velocity vecv = v₀hati into a cubical region (faces parallel to coordinate planes) i

NCERT Exemplar · Q17

\vec{v} = v_0\hat{i}

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Concept understanding — Charged Particle in Magnetic Field

Charged Particle in a Magnetic Field

When a charged particle moves through a magnetic field, the field grabs it sideways. Unlike an electric field, which can speed a charge up or slow it down, a magnetic field only bends the path — it never changes the particle's speed. Understanding why leads directly to circular and helical motion, the basis of cyclotrons, mass spectrometers and the aurora.

The force: always sideways

A particle of charge $q$ moving with velocity $\vec{v}$ in a magnetic field $\vec{B}$ feels the magnetic (Lorentz) force:

\vec{F} = q\,(\vec{v} \times \vec{B})

Because of the cross product, $\vec{F}$ is perpendicular to both $\vec{v}$ and $\vec{B}$ . Its magnitude is

F = |q|\,v\,B\sin\theta

where $\theta$ is the angle between $\vec{v}$ and $\vec{B}$ .

Important

Since $\vec{F} \perp \vec{v}$ , the force does no work: $\vec{F}\cdot\vec{v} = 0$ . Therefore the kinetic energy and the speed stay constant — the field only changes the direction of motion, never the magnitude.

Case 1: velocity perpendicular to the field → a circle

If $\vec{v} \perp \vec{B}$ ( $\theta = 90^\circ$ ), the force $F = qvB$ stays constant in size and always points toward one central point. That is exactly the condition for uniform circular motion, with the magnetic force acting as the centripetal force:

qvB = \frac{mv^2}{r}

Solving for the radius:

r = \frac{mv}{qB}

The time period of one revolution is

T = \frac{2\pi r}{v} = \frac{2\pi m}{qB}

Note

The period $T$ (and the frequency $f = qB/2\pi m$ , the cyclotron frequency) does not depend on the speed or the radius. A faster particle traces a bigger circle but takes exactly the same time per loop. This speed-independence is what makes the cyclotron work.

Case 2: velocity at an angle → a helix

If $\vec{v}$ makes an angle $\theta$ with $\vec{B}$ , split it into two parts:

Perpendicular component $v_\perp = v\sin\theta$ — feels the magnetic force and drives circular motion of radius $r = \dfrac{mv_\perp}{qB}$ .
Parallel component $v_\parallel = v\cos\theta$ — feels no force (since $\vec{v_\parallel}\times\vec{B}=0$ ) and carries the particle steadily along the field line.

Combining a circle with a steady drift gives a helix. The distance advanced along the field in one full turn is the pitch:

p = v_\parallel\,T = v\cos\theta \cdot \frac{2\pi m}{qB}

A quick example

An electron ( $m = 9.1\times10^{-31}\ \text{kg}$ , $q = 1.6\times10^{-19}\ \text{C}$ ) enters a $0.02\ \text{T}$ field at $10^{6}\ \text{m/s}$ , perpendicular to $\vec{B}$ :

$r = \frac{mv}{qB} = \frac{(9.1\times10^{-31})(10^{6})}{(1.6\times10^{-19})(0.02)} \approx 2.8\times10^{-4}\ \text{m}$ …

Why this formula?

Charged Particle in a Magnetic Field — Why the Key Formulas Hold

Let's build this from first principles. The core idea is that a magnetic field exerts a force only on a moving charge, and that force is always perpendicular to both the velocity and the field.

1. The Fundamental Force Law: Lorentz Force

The starting point is the Lorentz force for a charge $q$ moving with velocity $\vec{v}$ in a magnetic field $\vec{B}$ :

\vec{F}_m = q (\vec{v} \times \vec{B})

Why this form?

Cross product $\vec{v} \times \vec{B}$ means the force is perpendicular to both $\vec{v}$ and $\vec{B}$ .
Magnitude: $F_m = |q| v B \sin\theta$ , where $\theta$ is the angle between $\vec{v}$ and $\vec{B}$ .
Direction: given by the right-hand rule (for positive $q$ ).

Key insight: Because $\vec{F}_m \perp \vec{v}$ , the magnetic force does no work — it changes only the direction of velocity, not its speed.

2. Circular Motion in a Uniform Magnetic Field

Consider a charge $q$ moving with speed $v$ perpendicular to a uniform $\vec{B}$ (so $\theta = 90^\circ$ , $\sin\theta = 1$ ).

Step 1: Force provides centripetal acceleration

The magnetic force is the only radial force:

F_m = q v B

This must equal the centripetal force required for circular motion:

F_c = \frac{m v^2}{r}

Step 2: Equate and solve for $r$

q v B = \frac{m v^2}{r}

Cancel one $v$ (assuming $v \neq 0$ ):

q B = \frac{m v}{r}

Thus:

\boxed{r = \frac{m v}{q B}}

This is the radius of the circular path (cyclotron radius).

Why this makes sense:

Larger mass $m$ → harder to turn → larger $r$
Larger charge $q$ or stronger $B$ → stronger force → tighter turn → smaller $r$
Faster speed $v$ → more momentum → larger $r$

3. Angular Frequency (Cyclotron Frequency)

From the circular motion relation:

\omega = \frac{v}{r}

Substitute $r = \frac{m v}{q B}$ :

\omega = \frac{v}{\frac{m v}{q B}} = \frac{q B}{m}

Thus:

\boxed{\omega_c = \frac{q B}{m}}

Why this is remarkable:

$\omega_c$ is independent of speed $v$ — all particles with same $q/m$ have the same angular frequency, regardless of how fast they move.
This is the principle behind cyclotrons (particle accelerators).

4. General Motion: Helical Path …

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Take $\vec{B}=B_0\hat{k}$ (perpendicular to the $x$ - $y$ plane) so the electron circles in that plane, and $\vec{E}=E_0\hat{i}$ (along its initial $+x$ velocity) so the electric force decelerates it; as the speed drops, $r=mv/eB_0$ shrinks and the orbit spirals inward.

What the trajectory tells us

The electron starts with $\vec{v}=v_0\hat{i}$ and spirals inward while staying in a plane parallel to $x$ - $y$ . Two things must be arranged: the motion must curve in the $x$ - $y$ plane, and its radius must decrease.

1. Keep the motion in the $x$ - $y$ plane -- choose $\vec{B}$ along $z$ . With $\vec{v}$ in the $x$ - $y$ plane, a field $\vec{B}=B_0\hat{k}$ gives $\vec{v}\times\vec{B}$ lying in the $x$ - $y$ plane, so the magnetic force has no $z$ -component and the electron never leaves the plane. Checking the turning, with $\vec{v}=v\hat{i}$ :

\vec{F}_B=-e(\vec{v}\times\vec{B})=-e\,(v\hat{i}\times B_0\hat{k})=-e\,vB_0(-\hat{j})=evB_0\,\hat{j},

an in-plane force that bends the path into a circle of radius $r=\dfrac{mv}{eB_0}$ . …

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Same / Similar Concept — real previous-year questions on the same or a closely similar concept, not this exact question.

AHSEC Higher Secondary (HS) Final Examination 2025Set ANNUAL1 mark
$Q. In case of an electron moving along a helical path what determines the pitch of motion?$
›Reveal solutionSolution

Pitch = (velocity component along B) × (time period of one revolution).

When a charged particle (electron) enters a magnetic field B⃗ with velocity at an angle to B, its velocity can be resolved into two components: v⊥ (perpendicular to B, responsible for the circular motion) and v∥ (parallel to B, unaffected by the magnetic force since the force qv×B is zero along B).

The perpendicular component v⊥ makes the electron move in a circle of radius r = mv⊥/(qB), with time period T = 2πm/(qB) — this period is independent of speed, depending only on q, m, and B.

Meanwhile the parallel component v∥ is unaffected by the field and carries the electron steadily along the direction of B, so in one revolution (time T) the electron advances a distance called the pitch:

p = v∥ · T = v∥ · (2πm/qB)

…

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AHSEC Higher Secondary (HS) Final Examination 2020Set ANNUAL1 mark
$Q. Name the beautiful natural phenomenon that occurs in the sky of polar regions of earth due to helical motion of charged particles.$
›Reveal solutionSolution

The aurora is caused by charged particles from the solar wind spiralling (helical motion) along Earth's magnetic field lines into the polar upper atmosphere.

Charged particles (mainly electrons and protons) ejected from the Sun as the solar wind get trapped by Earth's magnetic field. Because a charged particle entering a magnetic field at an angle other than 0° or 90° experiences a force $\vec F = q\vec v \times \vec B$ , it moves along a helical path, spiralling along the magnetic field lines. Near the poles, the field lines converge and dip steeply into the atmosphere, funnelling these fast charged particles down into the upper atmosphere (ionosphere), where they collide with and excite oxygen and nitrogen atoms/molecules. As these excited atoms return to their ground state …

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Concept understanding — Charged Particle in Magnetic Field

Charged Particle in a Magnetic Field

The force: always sideways

Case 1: velocity perpendicular to the field → a circle

Case 2: velocity at an angle → a helix

A quick example

Why this formula?

Charged Particle in a Magnetic Field — Why the Key Formulas Hold

1. The Fundamental Force Law: Lorentz Force

Why this form?

2. Circular Motion in a Uniform Magnetic Field

Step 1: Force provides centripetal acceleration

Step 2: Equate and solve for $r$

Why this makes sense:

3. Angular Frequency (Cyclotron Frequency)

Why this is remarkable:

4. General Motion: Helical Path …

What the trajectory tells us

Method: Designing a Field Configuration to Produce a Specified Trajectory

Steps

What the trajectory tells us

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