An argon positive ion fired towards east gets deflected towards south by a magnetic field. The direction of magnetic field is:

Question

Question

This question was previously asked in

SSC Selection Post 2024 (Graduate Level) Official Paper (Held On: 21 Jun, 2024 Shift 3)

Answer 1

The correct answer is upward

Key Points

An argon positive ion fired towards the east gets deflected towards the south by a magnetic field.
This deflection is explained by the right-hand rule for the force on a moving charge in a magnetic field.
According to the right-hand rule, if the thumb points in the direction of the ion's velocity (east) and the fingers point in the direction of the magnetic field, the force (deflection) will be in the direction of the palm.
Since the ion is deflected towards the south, the magnetic field must be directed upward.

Additional Information

The right-hand rule is a mnemonic for understanding the direction of the magnetic force on a positive charge.
In physics, the direction of a magnetic field can be determined using the right-hand rule by pointing the thumb of the right hand in the direction of the current and curling the fingers; the direction the fingers curl is the direction of the magnetic field.
This principle is widely used in electromagnetism and helps in visualizing the direction of forces in a magnetic field.