directions of protons and electrons along magnetic field lines

[Gauss44]

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Picture a MAGNETIC FIELD LINE drawn so that it's traveling from left to right on a sheet of paper. (--->)

Now picture an ELECTRON spiraling around that that magnetic field line progressing in the same direction as the magnetic field line, to the right. (---->) If you were to stand behind the electron, it would be traveling counterclockwise.


A PROTON traveling along that same magnetic field line would do what?

I know a proton would travel clockwise or circle the magnetic field line in the opposite direction of the electron. The proton's spiral would have a larger radius.

But would the proton travel LEFT OR RIGHT??? (<----- or ----->) I'm guessing left? Please explain.

 

[heartsavior]

Picture a MAGNETIC FIELD LINE drawn so that it's traveling from left to right on a sheet of paper. (--->)

Now picture an ELECTRON spiraling around that that magnetic field line progressing in the same direction as the magnetic field line, to the right. (---->) If you were to stand behind the electron, it would be traveling counterclockwise.


A PROTON traveling along that same magnetic field line would do what?

I know a proton would travel clockwise or circle the magnetic field line in the opposite direction of the electron. The proton's spiral would have a larger radius.

But would the proton travel LEFT OR RIGHT??? (<----- or ----->) I'm guessing left? Please explain.

this should be clockwise (see attachment).



"spiraling" about a magnetic field line axis is due to the velocity component which is parallel to the magmatic field, but that component is not affected by the magnetic field induced force vector.

 

[Gauss44]

this should be clockwise (see attachment).



"spiraling" about a magnetic field line axis is due to the velocity component which is parallel to the magmatic field, but that component is not affected by the magnetic field induced force vector.

But if an electron would travel to the RIGHT along a magnetic field line, which direction would a proton travel? LEFT or RIGHT?

(I agree that it would go clockwise per my original post.)

 

[milski]

But if an electron would travel to the RIGHT along a magnetic field line, which direction would a proton travel? LEFT or RIGHT?

(I agree that it would go clockwise per my original post.)

The direction of travel (left of right) is not related to the charge of the particle, it will travel in the same direction it was traveling before the magnetic field was there.

The electron does not travel to the right because of the magnetic field, it travels in that direction because its initial velocity was in that direction. (Or to be more precise - the velocity component parallel to the magnetic field was in that direction).