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Calculate the magnetic force acting on an airplane that has acquired a net charge of 1850 C and is moving with a speed of 120 m/s perpendicular to the Earth's magnetic field of 5.0 × 10 ⁻⁵ T.

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Final answer:

The magnetic force on an airplane with a net charge of 1850 C moving at 120 m/s perpendicular to Earth's magnetic field is 11100 N, directed perpendicularly to both the plane's velocity and the magnetic field.

Step-by-step explanation:

The magnetic force acting on a charged object moving through a magnetic field can be calculated using the Lorentz force equation: F = qvBsin(θ), where F is the magnetic force, q is the charge, v is the velocity of the object, B is the magnetic field strength, and θ is the angle between the velocity and the magnetic field direction.

In this case, the charge of the airplane is 1850 C, and it is moving at a speed of 120 m/s perpendicular to the Earth's magnetic field of 5.0 × 10⁻⁵ T. With this information, we can substitute into the equation:

F = (1850 C)(120 m/s)(5.0 × 10⁻⁵ T)sin(90°)

Since sin(90°) is 1, the equation simplifies to:

F = (1850 C)(120 m/s)(5.0 × 10⁻⁵ T) = 11100 N

The direction of this force is perpendicular to both the velocity of the airplane and the magnetic field, which can be determined using the right-hand rule.

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