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Question Checkup 30.1.2: The magnetic field exerts forces on charged particles, but i......

The magnetic field exerts forces on charged particles, but is incapable of doing work on them. Why?

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Since the magnetic force is always perpendicular to the velocity v = ds/dt , it is always perpendicular to the displacement ds .

Thus the incremental amount of work, d W= F \cdot d s =F d s \times \cos \theta , is always zero, and so the magnetic field can do no work.

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