Final answer:
The effect of the Earth's magnetic field on an electron launched into space from the equator is no effect.
Step-by-step explanation:
When an electron is launched from the equator into space, it will experience the effect of the Earth's magnetic field.
The Earth's magnetic field can be represented by a magnetic field vector that points northward and is vertical at the equator. Due to the interaction between the electron's velocity and the magnetic field, the electron will experience a force known as the Lorentz force. This force is given by the equation F = qvBsinθ, where F is the force, q is the charge of the electron, v is the velocity of the electron, B is the magnetic field vector, and θ is the angle between the velocity vector and the magnetic field vector.
Since the electron is launched straight into space from the equator, its velocity vector is initially perpendicular to the magnetic field vector, resulting in an angle of 90 degrees. In this case, the force experienced by the electron is zero, as sin90 = 1 and the velocity vector is perpendicular to the magnetic field vector. Therefore, the effect of the Earth's magnetic field on the electron's motion is no effect.