Mastery of "Moving Charges and Magnetism" is essential for board exams and competitive tests because it connects kinematics of charged particles with electromagnetic laws (Lorentz force, Biot–Savart, Ampère–Maxwell). Problems in this chapter test vector reasoning, multi-step algebraic manipulation and the ability to combine relations (e.g. kinetic energy from potentials with circular motion in magnetic fields) — skills that repeatedly appear in JEE Main/NEET and CBSE problems.
Beyond formulas, this chapter develops physical intuition about non‑intuitive phenomena (helical motion, Hall effect, displacement current, magnetic mirrors, guiding‑centre drifts) that are frequently used in higher‑difficulty questions. Practising varied MCQs helps build the pattern‑recognition and problem‑solving speed required in exams.
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Marking Scheme
Q1. A proton (charge , ) moves with speed in a uniform magnetic field . Its velocity makes an angle with the field. The magnitude of the magnetic force on the proton is:
Q2. An electron () with speed enters a uniform magnetic field at to the field. Determine (i) the radius of the circular component of motion and (ii) the pitch (distance advanced along the field in one revolution) of the resulting helical path.
Q3. Statement A: A charged particle placed in a region where the magnetic field is changing with time will always have its speed unchanged by the electromagnetic forces present in that region.
Reason R: The magnetic part of the Lorentz force is , which is always perpendicular to velocity and therefore cannot change the speed of the particle.
Q4. A square loop of side carries current and is placed in a uniform magnetic field . The plane of the loop makes an angle with the magnetic field (so the loop normal makes with ). The magnitude of torque on the loop is:
Q5. A long solid cylindrical conductor of radius carries a total current . The volume current density varies as (where is radial distance from axis). For , the magnitude of magnetic field at radius is:
Q6. Two very long parallel straight wires are separated by . The left wire carries current and the right wire carries . Currents are in opposite directions. At a point along the line joining the wires, the net magnetic field vanishes. The distance of that point from the left wire is:
Q7. A circular coil of radius produces a magnetic field at its centre given by , where is the number of turns. In an experiment the slope of the straight-line graph of versus for this coil is found to be . Using , the number of turns is approximately:
Q8. Statement A: Ampère's circuital law in the form is not valid for a closed path if the electric flux through any surface bounded by the path is changing with time.
Reason R: When the electric flux through a chosen surface bounded by the path changes with time, Ampère's law must be corrected by adding the displacement current term on the right-hand side.
Q9. Singly charged ions (charge ) are accelerated through a potential difference and then enter a region of uniform magnetic field where they move in a circular path of radius . The mass of the ion is approximately:
Q10. A charged particle moves along magnetic field lines from a region of weak field into a region of stronger magnetic field slowly (adiabatically). Which one of the following statements is correct?