Which force causes an electric charge moving through a magnetic field to deviate from its original path?

Which force causes an electric charge moving through a magnetic field to deviate from its original path?

• A. Gravitational force
• B. Deflecting force
• C. Electrostatic force
• D. Centripetal force

Answer: (B)

When a charge moves through a magnetic field, it experiences a magnetic force that points perpendicular to its velocity. This sideways push bends the trajectory, causing the path to deflect from its original straight line. That deflection is captured by the term deflecting force—the force responsible for changing the direction of the moving charge. Gravitational force acts downward on mass and isn’t caused by the magnetic field; electrostatic force acts between charges and isn’t about bending a path in a magnetic field; centripetal force is the inward force that keeps circular motion, which the magnetic force can provide, but it’s the deflecting force that describes the cause of the sideways bend. The direction of deflection follows the q v × B rule, and the amount of bending grows with charge, speed, magnetic field strength, and the sine of the angle between v and B.

When a charge moves through a magnetic field, it experiences a magnetic force that points perpendicular to its velocity. This sideways push bends the trajectory, causing the path to deflect from its original straight line. That deflection is captured by the term deflecting force—the force responsible for changing the direction of the moving charge. Gravitational force acts downward on mass and isn’t caused by the magnetic field; electrostatic force acts between charges and isn’t about bending a path in a magnetic field; centripetal force is the inward force that keeps circular motion, which the magnetic force can provide, but it’s the deflecting force that describes the cause of the sideways bend. The direction of deflection follows the q v × B rule, and the amount of bending grows with charge, speed, magnetic field strength, and the sine of the angle between v and B.