Physics 2015 JAMB Past Questions - Question 24: Two charger particles are projected into a region where there is a magnetic field perpendicular to their velocities. If the charges are deflected in opposite directions, which of the following statements is true of the charges?

Correct Answer

C

Explanation

When charged particles are projected into a region with a magnetic field, their paths can be deflected due to the interaction between the magnetic field and the motion of the charges. The direction of the deflection depends on the sign of the charge and the direction of the magnetic field.

If the charged particles are deflected in opposite directions, it means that one of the particles has a positive charge while the other has a negative charge. This is because the direction of the magnetic force on a charged particle is given by the right-hand rule, which states that the force is perpendicular to both the velocity of the particle and the direction of the magnetic field. If both particles had the same charge (either both positive or both negative), they would be deflected in the same direction.

So, the true statement is that one of the charges is positive, and the other is negative.