Near the equator, the Earth's magnetic field points almost horizontally to the north and has magnitude B=.5 x 10^-4T. What should be the magnitude and direction of the velocity of an electron if its weight is to be exactly balanced by the magnetic force?
F = mg = e vxB = Bev sin \theta = BeV (\theta is 90) I still think there might be something wrong with question.
do you think they mean points vertically north?
can you draw the picture of electron and magnetic field??
it didn't give an image but i would say they are perpendicular so that V is perpendicular to magnetic field
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well, that would be my guess it could also point the other way
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if V is perpendicular to magnetic field, then you will have maximum lorentz force.
and one more thing, the magnetic field will move electron in circular path
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