MCQMediumJEE 2025Force on Moving Charge

JEE Physics 2025 Question with Solution

Consider a long thin conducting wire carrying a uniform current II. A particle having mass MM and charge qq is released at a distance aa from the wire with a speed v0v_0 along the direction of current in the wire. The particle gets attracted to the wire due to magnetic force. The particle turns round when it is at distance xx from the wire. The value of xx is:

  • A

    a2\frac{a}{2}

  • B

    a(1mv0qμ0I)a \left( 1 - \frac{mv_0}{q\mu_0 I} \right)

  • C

    ae(4mv0qμ0I)ae \left( -4 \frac{mv_0}{q\mu_0 I} \right)

  • D

    a[1mv02qμ0I]a \left[ 1 - \frac{mv_0}{2q\mu_0 I} \right]

Answer

Correct answer:D

Step-by-step solution

Standard Method

Given: A long straight wire carries current II. A particle of mass mm and charge qq is released from distance aa with speed v0v_0 along the wire. It turns back at distance xx.

Find: The value of xx and the correct option.

The solution states that the correct option is D.

The magnetic field due to the wire at distance rr is

B=μ0I2πrB = \frac{\mu_0 I}{2\pi r}

and the magnetic force on the particle is

F=qvB=qμ0Iv2πrF = qvB = \frac{q\mu_0 I v}{2\pi r}

This force is perpendicular to the velocity.

Using the relation presented in the solution,

mvr=constantmvr = \text{constant}

so initially and at the turning point,

mv0a=mvxmv_0 a = mvx

Hence,

v=v0axv = \frac{v_0 a}{x}

The provided working then simplifies to the turning-point result

x=a[1mv02qμ0I]x = a \left[1 - \frac{mv_0}{2q\mu_0 I}\right]

Therefore, the correct option is D and x=a[1mv02qμ0I]x = a \left[1 - \frac{mv_0}{2q\mu_0 I}\right].

Extracted Step-by-Step Working

Given: A current-carrying long straight wire produces magnetic field around it. A charged particle starts at distance aa with speed v0v_0 parallel to the current.

Find: The minimum distance xx where the particle turns round.

From the solution:

  1. Magnetic field due to a long straight wire:
B=μ0I2πrB = \frac{\mu_0 I}{2\pi r}
  1. Magnetic force on the moving charged particle:
F=q(v×B)\vec{F} = q(\vec{v} \times \vec{B})

so its magnitude is

F=qvBF = qvB

and therefore

F=qμ0Iv2πrF = \frac{q\mu_0 I v}{2\pi r}
  1. The extracted solution uses conservation of angular momentum about the wire axis:
mvr=constantmvr = \text{constant}

Thus,

mv0a=mvxmv_0 a = mvx

which gives

v=v0axv = \frac{v_0 a}{x}
  1. The working then proceeds with the turning-point analysis and arrives at
x=a[1mv02qμ0I]x = a \left[1 - \frac{mv_0}{2q\mu_0 I}\right]
  1. The page explicitly concludes that the correct option is D.

Therefore, the value of xx is a[1mv02qμ0I]a \left[1 - \frac{mv_0}{2q\mu_0 I}\right].

Common mistakes

  • Using the magnetic force as if it does work on the particle. This is wrong because magnetic force is always perpendicular to instantaneous velocity. Instead, use the geometric or conserved-quantity relations provided in the solution to find the turning point.

  • Substituting the magnetic field as a constant. This is wrong because for a long straight wire, BB varies with distance as 1r\frac{1}{r}. Always write B=μ0I2πrB = \frac{\mu_0 I}{2\pi r} before proceeding.

  • Missing the turning-point condition and treating xx as an arbitrary radius. This is wrong because xx is the minimum distance where the motion reverses in the radial sense. Use the turning-point relation obtained from the provided working.

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