Proton and electron motion in electric field · CAP 2003 #16

Physics · electromagnetism

Problem

A proton sits at coordinates (x,y)=(0,0)(x,y) = (0,0), and an electron at (d,h)(d,h), where d≫hd \gg h. At time t=0t = 0, a uniform electric field EE of unknown magnitude but pointing in the positive y direction is turned on. Assuming that dd is large enough that the proton-electron interaction is negligible, the y coordinates of the two particles will be equal (at equal time) (a) at about y=d/2000y = d/2000; (b) at an undetermined value since EE is unknown; (c) at about y=d/43y = d/43; (d) nowhere: they move in opposite directions.

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