Question

Without adjusting the charge on the horizontal plates, what happens to the display beam or display particles when interacting with the positive and negative plates?

a) The display beam is attracted to the positive plate and repelled by the negative plate
b) The display particles move towards the negative plate and away from the positive plate
c) The display beam is unaffected by the plates
d) The display particles experience a random movement between the plates

Answer 1

In an electric field, alpha particles and beta particles are attracted to different charges and experience different levels of deflection. Gamma rays, being uncharged, are not affected by the electric field.

Step-by-step explanation:

In an electric field, the behavior of particles is determined by their charge. According to the given information, alpha particles, which are positively charged and relatively massive, are attracted to the negative plate and deflected slightly. On the other hand, beta particles, which are negatively charged and relatively light, are attracted to the positive plate and deflected significantly. Gamma rays, which are uncharged, are unaffected by the electric field.

Therefore, the correct answer to the question is option b) The display particles move towards the negative plate and away from the positive plate.