The use of computer-simulated trajectories to teach real particle flight

Abstract

The close relationship between charged particles and electromagnetic fields has been wellknown since the 19th century, thanks to James Clerk Maxwell’s brilliant unified theory ofelectricity and magnetism. Today, electromagnetism is recognized as an essential aspect ofhuman activity and has consequently become a major component of senior high-school andfirst-year university science curricula. However, while the action of electrical force oncharged particles is generally well understood, that of the magnetic force still remains amystery for some students, and thus the analysis of combined interactions quicklybecomes a real puzzle. To improve the teaching of these phenomena, and alsoto facilitate comprehension by students, we have developed a computer-basedsimulator to replicate the motion of a real charged particle under the influence of anycombination of electric and magnetic fields. Using this software, students are able tovisualize the motion of charged particles and thus gain a better understandingof the effect of electric and magnetic fields. The software is available as a freedownload.