Final answer:
A charged particle entering a uniform magnetic field experiences a force perpendicular to its velocity, resulting in a change in direction but with constant speed, often leading to uniform circular motion.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a charged particle enters a uniform magnetic field, it experiences a magnetic force that is perpendicular to its velocity. This force changes the particle's direction of motion, causing it to accelerate in a curved path. This acceleration is centripetal, meaning it changes the direction but not the speed of the particle's motion, leading to uniform circular motion in the simplest case when the velocity is perpendicular to the magnetic field. The magnetic field exerts a force given by the equation F = qvBsin(θ), where θ is the angle between the velocity and the magnetic field vectors. Hence:
- The charged particle experiences a force perpendicular to its velocity.
- The charged particle changes its direction of motion to a circular path if the conditions are ideal.
- The charged particle accelerates in terms of changing direction, but its speed remains the same.
- The charged particle does not remain unaffected by the magnetic field.
The path followed by the particle can be circular or spiral, depending on additional factors such as the presence of electric fields or if the velocity is not perfectly perpendicular to the magnetic field.