The diagram shows the track of a charged particle in a magnetic field - Edexcel - A-Level Physics - Question 4 - 2023 - Paper 4
Question 4
The diagram shows the track of a charged particle in a magnetic field.
The magnetic field is directed into the page.
Which of the following particles could create t... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:The diagram shows the track of a charged particle in a magnetic field - Edexcel - A-Level Physics - Question 4 - 2023 - Paper 4
Step 1
a muon travelling from X to Y
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Answer
A muon is a charged particle, and when it travels perpendicular to a magnetic field, it will experience a force that causes it to move in a circular path. However, to create the observed track, we require the particle to be moving in a specific direction relative to the magnetic field.
Step 2
a positron travelling from Y to X
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Answer
A positron is the antimatter counterpart of an electron. It will also experience a magnetic force similar to that of an electron when moving through the field. Since the positron is travelling from Y to X, it will not produce the same circular path as required.
Step 3
a $ ext{ }ar{ ext{e}}$ travelling from X to X
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Answer
A ext{ }ar{ ext{e}} would be an antiparticle with properties that could affect its path in a magnetic field. However, traveling from X to X would not create the observed track.
Step 4
an electron travelling from Y to X
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Answer
An electron moving from Y to X in the presence of a magnetic field directed into the page will experience a Lorentz force that directs it in a circular path. This aligns with the observed track in the diagram, confirming that this option is correct.