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Q.What is the work done by an external uniform magnetic field perpendicular to the velocity of a moving charge?

Maharashtra MsbshseMaharashtra HSC (MSBSHSE) Board 2025Subjective· 1mImportance★★★★★
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The magnetic Lorentz force is perpendicular to velocity at every instant, so it can never do work.

The force on a charge qq moving with velocity v⃗\vec v in a magnetic field B⃗\vec B is

F⃗=q(v⃗×B⃗)\vec F = q(\vec v \times \vec B)

By the definition of the cross product, F⃗\vec F is always perpendicular to v⃗\vec v. The work done in a small displacement ds⃗=v⃗ dtd\vec s = \vec v\,dt is

dW=F⃗⋅ds⃗=q(v⃗×B⃗)⋅v⃗ dt=0dW = \vec F \cdot d\vec s = q(\vec v\times\vec B)\cdot \vec v\,dt = 0

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