Lorentz force

In physics, the Lorentz force is the force exerted on a charged particle in an electromagnetic field. The particle will experience an electric force qE and a magnetic force qv &times B. Combined they give the Lorentz force equation

where E is the electric field, B is the magnetic field, q is the charge of the particle, v is its current velocity (expressed as a vector), and × is the cross product.

Thus an electron q will simply be accelerated in the same linear orientation as the E field, but that electron will spiral when travelling through the B field, due to the orientation of the cross product operator, by the right-hand rule.

See also

• electromagnetism