Fundamentals of Physics Extended (10th Edition)

Published by Wiley
ISBN 10: 1-11823-072-8
ISBN 13: 978-1-11823-072-5

Chapter 44 - Quarks, Leptons, and the Big Bang - Questions - Page 1362: 3a

Answer

The path with the larger radius corresponds to the more massive particle.

Work Step by Step

The force on the particle due to the magnetic field provides the centripetal force to keep the particle moving in a circle. We can find an expression for the radius of motion: $F_B = qvB = \frac{mv^2}{r}$ $r = \frac{mv}{qB}$ If we assume that the two particles have the same speed, the more massive particle has a larger radius of motion. The path with the larger radius corresponds to the more massive particle.
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