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Lorentz force facts for kids

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Lorentz's law is a law discovered by the Dutch physicist Hendrik Antoon Lorentz. Lorentz's law defines force that acts on moving charged particles in an electromagnetic field. Force consists of magnetic force and electric force.


F = qE (electric force)
If the charge is positive, the direction of the electric force is equal to direction of electric field.

F = qv*B (magnetic force)
The direction of the magnetic force is given by the right hand rule.

If charged particles move with velocity v in an electric field E and a magnetic field B

F = qE + qv*B
F : force (vector)
q : charge (scalar)
E : electric field (vector)
v : velocity of particle (vector)
B : magnetic field (vector)
* is vector cross product.


Using this law, J.J. Thomson measured mass-to-charge ratio.

Images for kids

  • H. A. Lorentz - Lorentz force, div E = ρ, div B = 0 - La théorie electromagnétique de Maxwell et son application aux corps mouvants, Archives néerlandaises, 1892 - p 451 - Eq. I, II, III

    Lorentz' theory of electrons. Formulas for the Lorentz force (I, ponderomotive force) and the Maxwell equations for the divergence of the electrical field E (II) and the magnetic field B (III), La théorie electromagnétique de Maxwell et son application aux corps mouvants, 1892, p. 451. V is the velocity of light.

  • Lorentz force - mural Leiden 1, 2016

    Lorentz force -image on a wall in Leiden

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Fuerza de Lorentz para niños

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