A particle moves in a region having a uniform magnetic field and a parallel, uniform electric field. At some instant, the velocity of the charged particle is perpendicular to the field direction. The path of the particle will be
A
a straight line
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B
a circle
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C
a helix with a uniform pitch
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D
a helix with a non-uniform pitch.
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Solution
The correct option is D a helix with a non-uniform pitch. At the instant of starting, the path is a circle.The electric field causes the particle to accelerate perpendicular to the plane of the circle. Therefore, the path is a helix. In addition, because of the parallel electric field, v increases with time. Hence, the path will be a helix with a non-uniform pitch.