Question

If the direction of the initial velocity of the charged particle is neither along nor perpendicular to that of the magnetic field, then the orbit will be
A. A straight line
B. An ellipse
C. A circle
D. A helix

Answer 1

Hint: When the charged particle is placed in an electric field and magnetic field then it will experience a force and due to this force it starts moving.

Complete step by step solution:
An electric field is the region where a charged particle experiences a force of attraction or repulsion due to the source charge. A magnetic field is the area around a current carrying charge or particle where magnetic forces can be felt.

If the direction of initial velocity of the charged particle is neither along nor perpendicular to the magnetic field, that means the magnetic component and the velocity with which the particle is moving have the same direction. In such cases, the particle does not experience any force as there is no effect of the magnetic field.

If the particle is in a circular path, that means the perpendicular component is responsible and it will be parallel if it is along the magnetic field. Since, it is neither along nor perpendicular, so it is moving in a helical path.

Hence, option D is the correct answer.

Note: It is important to remember that the motion of a charged particle in an electric field and the magnetic field is not the same and depends on different things. The motion of the particle in an electric and magnetic field depends on their respective directions. In the case of an electric field, the motion of the particle is parabolic in nature. Also, the electric and magnetic field intensity can be determined by the respective field lines at that point.