Trajectory of charged particle in combined electric and magnetic fields using interactive spreadsheets

The objective of this article is to graphically illustrate to the students the physical phenomenon of motion of charged particle under the action of simultaneous electric and magnetic fields by simulating particle motion on a computer. Differential equations of motions are solved analytically and path of particle in three-dimensional space are obtained using interactive spreadsheet. Spreadsheets can be setup to solve numerical solutions of complex systems. This will make the concept, which so far is left to the abstract imagination come alive for the student, and initiate a deeper understanding of particle motion.

Physics Education ,

Electromagnetic Fields ,

Spreadsheets ,

Simulation ,