Question

An electron traveling horizontally to the right enters a region where a uniform electric field is directed downward. What is the direction of the electric force exerted on the electron once it has entered the electric field?

Answer 1

Upward

Step-by-step explanation:

For charged particles immersed in an electric field:

- if the particle is positively charged, the direction of the force is the same as the direction of the electric field

- if the particle is negatively charged, the direction of the force is opposite to the direction of the electric field

In this problem, we have an electron - so a negatively charged particle - so the direction of the force is opposite to that of the electric field.

Since the electric field is directed downward, therefore, the electric force on the electron will be upward.