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Date May 2019 Marks available 1 Reference code 19M.3.SL.TZ2.5
Level Standard level Paper Paper 3 Time zone 2
Command term Outline Question number 5 Adapted from N/A

Question

Two protons are moving to the right with the same speed v with respect to an observer at rest in the laboratory frame.

Outline why there is an attractive magnetic force on each proton in the laboratory frame. 

[1]
a.

Explain why there is no magnetic force on each proton in its own rest frame.

[1]
b.

Explain why there must be a resultant repulsive force on the protons in all reference frames.

[2]
c.

Markscheme

moving charges give rise to magnetic fields

OR

magnetic attraction between parallel currents ✔

a.

protons at rest produce no magnetic field

OR

mention of F = Bev where B and/or v =0 ✔

b.

there is a repulsive electric/electrostatic force «in both frames» ✔

the attractive magnetic force «in the lab frame» is smaller than the repulsive electric force ✔

in all frames the net force is repulsive as all must agree that protons move apart

OR

mention of the first postulate of relativity ✔

c.

Examiners report

Candidates usually realised that the magnetic field was due to the motion of the protons and that in the proton rest frame there could be no magnetic field. The answers were too often poorly worded and the candidates appeared to reword the question without providing a clear explanation.

a.

Candidates usually realised that the magnetic field was due to the motion of the protons and that in the proton rest frame there could be no magnetic field. The answers were too often poorly worded and the candidates appeared to reword the question without providing a clear explanation.

b.

A few candidates mentioned that there was an electrostatic repulsive force between the protons in both frames. However very few realised that there had to be an overall repulsive force in both frames because of the relativity postulate.

c.

Syllabus sections

Option A: Relativity » Option A: Relativity (Core topics) » A.1 – The beginnings of relativity
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Option A: Relativity » Option A: Relativity (Core topics)
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