Lorentz force is the force on a point charge which is caused by the electromagnetic fields. The equation is:
F = q(E + v x B)
where
F is the force experienced
q is the hange
E is the eletric field
v is the velocity
x is the distance
B is the magnetic field.
The Lorentz force was first derived by Oliver Heaviside in 1889.¹ However, there is evidence suggesting that there is an earlier origin by James Clerk Maxwell in 1865.²
A positively charged particle will curve perpendicular to both the velocity vector and the magnetic field according to the right-hand rule. The magnetic force component of the Lorentz force acts as the force that acts on a current-carrying wire in a magnetic field. It is also referred to as the Laplace force.
References:
1. Oliver Heaviside By Paul J. Nahin. p120.
2. Huray, Paul G. (2009). Maxwell's Equations. Wiley-IEEE. p. 22. ISBN 0-470-54276-4.
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