Why Does Magnetic Force Not Alter the Speed of a Charged Particle?

[tin llenaresas]

why is the magnitude of velocity of a charged particle not affected by magnetic force?

 

[StatusX]

The magnetic force always acts in a direction perpendicular to the velocity, sine F=q(vXB), so it only changes the direction of motion, not the speed. This also means it does no work on the particle.

 

[quicknote]

The magnitude of velocity of a charged particle is not affected by magnetic force because the magnetic force only acts perpendicular to the velocity of the particle. This means that the force does not change the speed of the particle, but rather alters its direction of motion. This is due to the fact that the magnetic force is a cross product of the velocity and the magnetic field, and the cross product only affects the direction of the resulting force, not its magnitude. Therefore, the magnitude of the velocity remains constant while the direction may change due to the presence of a magnetic field. This is a fundamental principle in electromagnetism and is crucial in understanding the behavior of charged particles in magnetic fields.