Question 11.21:

(a) A monoenergetic electron beam with an electron speed of 5.20 x 106 m/s is subject to a magnetic field of 1.30 x 10-4 T normal to the beam velocity. What is the radius of the circle traced by the beam, given elm for electron equals 1.76 x 1011 C kg-1.

(b) Is the formula you employ in (a) valid for calculating the radius of the path of a 20 MeV electron beam? If not, in what way is it modified?

[Note: Exercises 11.20(b) and 11.21(b) take you to relativistic mechanics which is beyond the scope of this book. They have been inserted here simply to emphasize the point that the formulas you use in part (a) of the exercises are not valid at very high speeds or energies. See answers at the end to know what 'very high speed or energy' means.]

(a)

Hint: \(r=\frac{mv}{eB}\)

Step 1:
Find the radius of the circle traced by the beam.
The radius of the circle traced by the beam is given by:
\(r=\frac{mv}{eB}\)

=5.20×106(1.76×1011)×1.30×104=0.227 m=22.7 cm

Therefore, the radius of the circular path is 22.7 cm.

(b)
Hint: \(\mathrm{v}=\left(\frac{2 \mathrm{eV}}{\mathrm{m}}\right)^{\frac{1}{2}}\)

Step 1: Find the velocity of the electron beam carrying the energy of 20 MeV.
E=12mv2v=(2Em)12 =2×20×106×1.6×10199.1×1031=2.652×109 m/s

Step 2: Identify the mistake.
This result is incorrect because nothing can move faster than light. In the above formula, the expression (mv2/2) for energy can only be used in the non-relativistic limit, i.e for v  << c.

When very high speeds are concerned, the relativistic domain comes into consideration. In the relativistic domain, mass is given as:

m=m0[1v2c2]-12

Where,

m0 = Mass of the particle at rest

Hence, the radius of the circular path is given as:

r=mveB=m0veBc2v2c2