charged particles in magnetic and electrical fields

[Oh_Gee]

I've re-read the chapters in TBR again but I still can't wrap my head around it. Can someone please explain how charged particles behave in these different fields and what happens if a charged particle goes through both fields at the same time?

I get that in electric fields, charged particles move in the direction of the field (+ to -) and in magnetic fields, charged particles move in perpendicular to the field, but I just do not understand what happens when you combine the two fields

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[NextStepTutor_2]

At the end of the day, you are drawing force vectors so like a basic physics problem, draw a free body diagram. In these cases, separately draw the force vector exerted by the electric field and then for the magnetic field. The net force on the charged particle results from the combination of those vectors.

Some points of clarification: only positive charges move in the direction of the field so be careful when you encounter a negative charge. It moves in the opposite direction. Also only moving charges experience a force in a magnetic field. Stationary charges experience force only from the electric field.

 

[Cawolf]

The electromagnetic force (Lorentz force) that an object experiences in some field takes both E and B fields into account.

F = q(E + v x B) noting that F, E, and B are vectors and have directional components.