Lab 9: Magnetic Deflections

Equipment:

Computer with internet access, graphing software (like Excel).

Introduction:

Moving charges in an area of space with a magnetic field (B) feel a magnetic force. That magnetic force is
dependent on how fast the electron is moving (v), and the strength of the magnetic field. The relationship can be
seen below. The x represents the vector cross product of v and B. When the angle between v and B is 90°, the
magnetic force simplified to Fmag = qvB

Fmag = qv x B

When the charged particles enter the region of constant B field, they will be deflected (turned) by the magnetic
force. The charged particle will be deflected along a circular arc. Therefore, we can use centripetal force as the
net force on the electron being deflected by the magnetic field. This arc is determined by the condition that the
magnetic force acting on the electrons provides the centripetal acceleration necessary for the circular motion,
i.e.,

qvB = m(v2/R).

where q is the magnitude of charge. R is the radius of the circular path, B is the magnetic field, and v is the
speed of the charged particles.

From here, we can solve for R.

R = m(v/qB)

If we do not know the mass of our particles, but are able to measure the radius of curvature of our circular path
under different constant velocities and B fields, then we can make a graph of R on the y axis, and v/qB on the x
axis, and the slope of the best fit line of our data will be an estimate of the mass of our particle. Observe the
above equation and convince yourself that this is true.

The charged particles will continue to move in this circular path with constant speed, v, until they hit the wall.
In our simulation today, The distance they travel before hitting the wall will be one half the circumference of
their circular path. Therefore, we can use this distance as well as the constant speed to solve for the radius of
curvature of the particle’s circular path if we know the time to hit the wall.

D = vt

(½)C = vt

(½)(2πR) = vt

R = vt/π
 Procedure:

Today, we will be estimating the magnitude of 1 atomic mass unit (amu) using a simulation of a charge particle
being deflected in a constant magnetic field.

Figure 1: Simulation Initial Conditions

Data Collection
1. Open the simulation on the Physics Aviary website, ‘Charge in Magnetic Field’
2. Set the initial conditions to match the above picture,
a. Charge is +,
b. B field is X,
c. Magnitude of Charge is 2e,
d. Grid is on,
e. Charge Speed 200 km/s.
f. Field Strength 100 mT,
g. Charge Mass 5 amu.
NOTE: You will not change the charge mass or magnitude of charge for the remainder of the experiment.
3. Hit the Fire button on the top left to launch the charged particle into the constant B field. You will see
the charge get deflected in a circular arc until it hits the wall.
 4. Change velocity and field strength to reflect values in the table below, than hit Fire button three times
and record the elapsed time in the Table 1 below:

Trial Velocity Field Time (ns) Time (ns) Time (ns)

(km/s) strength Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3
(mT)

1 50 100 822 821 822

2 75 120 701 702 701

3 100 130 642 642 641

4 125 140 601 601 602

5 150 150 562 562 562

6 175 160 521 521 521

7 200 170 502 501 502

8 225 180 461 461 461

9 250 190 441 441 442

10 275 200 421 422 420

Table 1: Data Collection
5. Repeat the experiment for the other initial conditions in Table 1, keep Charge Magnitude and Mass
constant.

Data Analysis
1. Transfer table to Excel. (copy paste works well between Word and Excel).
2. Convert velocity from km/s to m/s.
3. Convert field strength from mT to T.
4. Average time and find standard deviation for three trials. Convert average time and standard deviation
from ns to s.
5. Calculate ratio the v/qB for each of the 10 trials. Be sure to change all units into their base SI unit, using
e = 1.602*10-19 Coulombs.
6. Calculate radius of curvature R = vt/π for each of the 10 trials.
7. Plot a graph of v/qB on the x axis and R on the y axis.
8. Fit the data with a linear fit, and insert the graph below.
 Magnetic Deflections
0.06

0.05
Radius of curvature

f(x) = 7.28585819684183E-27 x − 0.0161064692900962

0.04
R² = 0.9791188741952
0.03

0.02

0.01

0
2.00E+24 3.00E+24 4.00E+24 5.00E+24 6.00E+24 7.00E+24 8.00E+24 9.00E+24

v/qB

9. What is your equation of the line of best fit and the R2 value?
Line of best fit:__7E-27x – 0.0161__
R2 value:__0.9791____
10. Using the slope of the line of best fit, estimate the value in kg of 1 amu. _1.169*10^-53 kg_________
HINT: In the simulation our particle’s mass was 5 amu.
11. Showing your work, calculate the percent error for your estimate of 1 amu using 1.66 x 10-27 kg as the
accepted value. __100%____________

% error = 1.169*10^-53 – 1.66*10^-27 x 100 = 100%

1.66*10^-27
12. Return to excel file.

13. Add column for calculating mass of the 5 amu particle (m = RqB/v), then divide by 5 to get the mass of
1 amu, and find the average atomic mass unit mass.
Trial v/qB R (vt/pi) m Mass of 1 amu

1 3.12 *10^24 0.0090 2.88*10^-27 5.76*10^-28

2 3.90*10^24 0.0135 3.46*10^-27 6.92*10^-28

3 4.80*10^24 0.0181 3.77*10^-27 7.54*10^-28

4 5.57*10^24 0.0226 4.05*10^-27 8.1*10^-28

5 6.24*10^24 0.0271 4.34*10^-27 8.68*10^-28

6 6.83*10^24 0.0316 4.62*10^-27 9.24*10^-28

7 7.34*10^24 0.0361 4.92*10^-27 9.84*10^-28

8 7.80*10^24 0.0406 5.20*10^-27 1.04*10^-27

9 8.21*10^24 0.0452 5.50*10^-27 1.1*10^-27

10 8.58*10^24 0.0497 5.79*10^-27 1.158*10^-27

Average 4.453*10^-27 8.906*10^-28

Standard
deviation 8.82*10^-28 1.77*10^-28

14. Showing your work, calculate the percent error for your estimate of 1 amu from average m using 1.66 x
10-27 kg as the accepted value. __89.3%____________

% error = 1.77*10^-28 – 1.66*10^-27 x 100 = 89.3%

1.66*10^-27

Post-Lab Questions
1. Using the right hand rule, explain why the charge is deflected upward when it enters the magnetic field.
The thumb, middle finger, and thumb should all be extended mutually perpendicular to each
other. If you extend your forefinger, middle finger, and thumb in different directions, they will
point in the direction of force, a magnetic field, and current, respectively, according to the rule of
the right hand. A charge entering a perpendicular magnetic field with the field pointing in the x
direction will experience a force in the z direction and deflect upward, according to the right-hand
rule.

2. Which method gave you a more accurate estimate of 1 amu, slope or average of individual mass
calculations. Why?
The method that gave me a more accurate estimate of 1 amu was the average of individual mass
calculations because it had a % error of 89.3% meaning that there may have been a little less
error than the 100% error for the slope being a complete error.

3. What would happen to the radius of the circular arc if your particle’s mass doubled while q,v, and B
stayed constant?
m' = 2m.
First of all R is equal to mv/qB. And R' = m'v/qB = 2mv/qB in which it becomes R' = 2R meaning
that the radius would have doubled.