Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2003 ia Paper 4 9E Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-14
With no electric force, the Lorentz force equation isIts scalar product with velocity proves conservation of energy for the particle's kinetic energy:If with a fixed unit direction , then , so the parallel component of velocity is constant even when the field magnitude varies.
The angular momentum about the origin does not generally remain constant, becauseFor example, at an instant with , and , its derivative is , nonzero when those factors are nonzero. A force perpendicular to velocity can preserve kinetic energy while exerting a nonzero torque.
For the constant axial field, Cartesian equations are , , and . Use the signed projected areal rate . ThenThusThe second equation is the magnetic axial angular-momentum invariant, replacing ordinary conservation of . In the symmetric gauge, the added term is the magnetic contribution to canonical angular momentum; it is the axial component that is conserved, not the full mechanical angular-momentum vector.
Let be the constant squared transverse speed. If the motion has a nonzero parallel speed, , where is total kinetic energy. Solving the invariant and using givesThe TeX transcription omits the angular equation, which is present in the PDF and restored here. The PDF's positive radial root describes the outward branch only. An inward branch needs the minus sign, with sign changes at radial turning points; polar coordinates themselves are singular at . These qualifications are needed for a global description of a cyclotron trajectory whose radius about an arbitrary origin can both increase and decrease.
The initial time-dependent-field discussion treats the stipulated magnetic force as a prescribed particle model. If one additionally imposes full Maxwell equations with electric field zero throughout a region, Faraday law requires the magnetic field there to be time independent. The energy calculation is nevertheless valid for the stated force model; it does not assert existence of a Maxwell-consistent time-dependent field with zero electric field everywhere.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2007 ia Paper 4 10C ii Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-14
Write . The original PDF contains the cross product ; the TeX aid drops its velocity dot. Since , differentiation and the equation of motion giveThe radial restoring force contributes no torque. The vector triple-product identity yieldsMeanwhileThe derivatives cancel, provingThis is the magnetic axial angular-momentum invariant. Its first term is the negative of the ordinary angular momentum projected on ; retaining that sign is essential.