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Consider an electron with initial velocity 1 m/s in the x direction. We turn on an electric field of -1 V/m in the x direction.

What is the momentum of the electron?
_____ kg m/s

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Final answer:

The momentum of an electron in an electric field cannot be calculated without additional information on the duration or the extent of the acceleration caused by the field.

Step-by-step explanation:

The moment an electron acquires an initial velocity in the presence of an electric field, it begins to experience a force due to that field. The electric force acting on the electron can be calculated using the equation F = qE, where q is the charge of the electron and E is the electric field strength. Given that the charge of an electron is -1.60 × 10-19 C and the electric field is -1 V/m (1 V/m = 1 N/C), we can find the electric force. Because the electron has a negative charge, a negative electric field in the x direction will push the electron in the positive x direction, hence the force will be positive.

To find the momentum, we use the equation p = mv, where m is the mass of the electron and v is the velocity. However, since the question does not define for how long or how much the electron has been accelerated, the momentum cannot be accurately determined solely from the given initial conditions and the presence of the electric field.

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