Coulomb's Law vs Lorentz Force: The physics formulas that show up EVERYWHERE on the MCAT ⚡🧲
These two force equations are foundational - master them and you'll unlock entire passages.
The key distinction: Coulomb's Law = force between stationary charges (electrostatics) Lorentz Force = force on a charge in electric AND magnetic fields (electrodynamics)
What makes Lorentz Force powerful: It combines BOTH electric force (qE) and magnetic force (qv×B) into one equation. This is why it shows up in complex scenarios like particle accelerators, mass spectrometers, and cyclotrons.
MCAT trap: The magnetic component (qvBsinθ) only exists when the charge is MOVING. If v = 0, magnetic force disappears and you're left with just the electric force.
High-yield applications: ✅ Mass spectrometry (separating ions by mass) ✅ Cyclotron motion in magnetic fields ✅ Charged particle deflection in crossed fields ✅ Aurora borealis (solar particles in Earth's magnetic field)
Pro tip: When θ = 90° (perpendicular), sinθ = 1 and the force is maximum. When parallel (θ = 0°), sinθ = 0 and there's NO magnetic force!
Which physics formula do you want broken down next? 👇
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Coulomb's Law vs Lorentz Force: The physics formulas that show up EVERYWHERE on the MCAT ⚡🧲
These two force equations are foundational - master them and you'll unlock entire passages.
The key distinction:
Coulomb's Law = force between stationary charges (electrostatics)
Lorentz Force = force on a charge in electric AND magnetic fields (electrodynamics)
What makes Lorentz Force powerful:
It combines BOTH electric force (qE) and magnetic force (qv×B) into one equation. This is why it shows up in complex scenarios like particle accelerators, mass spectrometers, and cyclotrons.
MCAT trap: The magnetic component (qvBsinθ) only exists when the charge is MOVING. If v = 0, magnetic force disappears and you're left with just the electric force.
High-yield applications:
✅ Mass spectrometry (separating ions by mass)
✅ Cyclotron motion in magnetic fields
✅ Charged particle deflection in crossed fields
✅ Aurora borealis (solar particles in Earth's magnetic field)
Pro tip: When θ = 90° (perpendicular), sinθ = 1 and the force is maximum. When parallel (θ = 0°), sinθ = 0 and there's NO magnetic force!
Which physics formula do you want broken down next? 👇
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