Magnetars The astronomical object 4U014+61 has the distinction of creating the most powerful magnetic field ever observed. This object is referred to as a "magnetar" (a subclass of pulsars), and its magnetic field is 1.3×1015 times greater than the Earth's magnetic field. A field this strong can significantly change the behavior of an atom. To see this, consider an electron moving with a speed of 2.2×106m/s . Compare the maximum magnetic force exerted on the electron to the electric force a proton exerts on an electron in a hydrogen atom. The radius of the hydrogen atom is 5.29×10−11m.

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anonymous · Answer

wow

anonymous · Answer

Using F=Bev, the force on such an electron is significant. Estimating the Earth's magnetic field to be 50 micro-Tesla, F = 50E-6x1.3E15x1.6E-19x2.2E6  = 0.023 N. Compare this to the electrostatic force of attraction in a hydrogen atom of $$F=\frac{ e ^{2} }{ 4\pi \epsilon _{0}r ^{2} }$$=8.22E-8 N. So it is safe to say that the atom will be stripped of its electron especially as the proton will experience the same force in the opposite direction.

anonymous · Answer

@ura13 When stars 30 times bigger than our Sun explode, they produce a type of neutron star called a magnetar. Magnetars are even weirder than pulsars and generate powerful magnetic fields. Now, in the most extreme case, the magnetic field can be 10 to the 15 hundred trillion times the magnetic field of the Earth. That's so strong; it would suck the iron right out of your blood from thousands of miles away.