Why doesn't a magnetic force ALWAYS act on a particle which moves in a magnetic field?
The force is dependent on crossing "flux" lines only, if the movement is parallel to that direction, no flux is crossed.
Thank you!
The reason why a magnetic force does not always act on a particle moving in a magnetic field is due to the nature of the interaction between the magnetic field and the particle's motion.
To understand this, we need to consider the basic principle of the magnetic force. It arises due to the interaction between a magnetic field and a moving charged particle, such as an electron. When a charged particle moves through a magnetic field, the magnetic field exerts a force on the moving charge.
However, there are specific conditions that need to be satisfied for the magnetic force to act on the particle. The force is perpendicular to both the velocity of the particle and the magnetic field. Therefore, if the particle's motion is parallel or antiparallel to the magnetic field, the magnetic force will not act on it.
In other words, if the velocity of the particle is either parallel or antiparallel to the magnetic field, the force will be zero. The particle will continue to move unaffected by the magnetic field. But if the velocity has a component perpendicular to the magnetic field, then the force will act on the particle, causing it to experience a change in direction or acceleration.
So, in summary, the magnetic force does not always act on a particle moving in a magnetic field because it depends on the angle between the particle's velocity and the magnetic field. Only when the motion of the charged particle has a component perpendicular to the magnetic field will the magnetic force come into play. This phenomenon can be described mathematically using the right-hand rule and the Lorentz force equation.