Cyclotron motion in a uniform magnetic field
What you are seeing: a charged particle (q = m = 1) in a uniform out-of-page magnetic field B. The Lorentz force is always perpendicular to , so it does no work; the speed is constant. The trajectory is a circle of radius traced at angular frequency . Increasing tightens the orbit but speeds up the rotation, leaving the period shorter.
Vary : smaller gives bigger circles. Vary the initial speed: at fixed , larger gives bigger circles but the same period. The field-strength readout shows the resulting radius and period.
B1.00
|v|1.00
charge q1.00
mass m1.00
speed2
WHAT TO TRY
- Vary each control and watch the rail readouts respond.
- Compare the diagnostic plot against the live scene.