Motion of charged particle in electric field - Class 12 - eSaral
Motion of a charged particle in an electric field is governed by the force qE, causing acceleration, change in kinetic energy, and depending on the initial velocity, the particle follows either straight-line motion or a parabolic trajectory in a uniform electric field.
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Motion of a charged particle in an Electric Field
In case of motion of a charged particle in an electric field:
- A point charge experiences a force, whether it is at rest or in motion $\overrightarrow{\mathrm{F}}=\mathrm{q} \overrightarrow{\mathrm{E}}$
- The direction of force is parallel to the field if the charge is positive and opposite to the field if the charge is negative.

- The electric field is conservative so work is done is independent of path and work done in moving a point charge q between two fixed points having a potential difference V is equal to,$W_{A B}=-U_{A B}=q\left(V_{B}-V_{A}\right)=q V$
- Work is done in moving a charged particle in an electric field unless the points are at the same potential

- When a charged particle is accelerated by a uniform or non-uniform electric field then by work-energy theorem
$\Delta K E=W$so $\frac{1}{2} m v^{2}-\frac{1}{2} m u^{2}=q V$
Or final velocity$v=\sqrt{\left[u^{2}+\frac{2 q V}{m}\right]}$
If the charged particle is initially at rest, then $v=\sqrt{\frac{2 q V}{m}}$
If the field is uniform $E=(\mathrm{V} / \mathrm{d})$ so $v=\sqrt{\frac{2 q E d}{m}}$
- In motion of a charged particle in a uniform electric field if the force of gravity does not exist or is balanced by some other force say reaction or neglected then$\vec{a}=\frac{\vec{F}}{m}=\frac{\overrightarrow{q E}}{m}=$ constant
[as $\vec{F}=\overrightarrow{q E}]$Here equations of motion are valid.
- If the particle is initially at rest then from v = u + at, we get $v=a t=\frac{q E}{m} t$ And from Eqn.$s=u t+\frac{1}{2} a t^{2}$
we get $\quad s=\frac{1}{2} a t^{2}=\frac{1}{2} \frac{q E}{m} t^{2}$
The motion is accelerated translatory with $\mathrm{a} \propto \mathrm{t}^{\circ}$ ; $v \propto t$ and $s \propto t^{2}$
Here $W=\Delta \mathrm{KE}=\frac{1}{2} \mathrm{mv}^{2}=\frac{1}{2} \mathrm{~m}\left[\frac{\mathrm{q} \mathrm{E}}{\mathrm{m}} \mathrm{t}\right]^{2}$
also
$W=q E d=q V$ - If the particle is projected perpendicular to the field with an initial velocity $\mathrm{V}_{0}$From Eqn. v = u + at
and
$s=u t+\frac{1}{2} a t^{2}$
$\mathrm{u}_{\mathrm{x}}=\mathrm{v}_{0}$
and $\quad a_{x}=0$
$\mathrm{u}_{\mathrm{x}}=\mathrm{v}_{0}=\mathrm{const.}$
and $\quad x=v_{0} t$
for motion along y-axis as $u_{y}=0$
and $a_{y}=\frac{q E}{m}$
$v_{y}=\left[\frac{q E}{m}\right] t$
and $\quad y=\frac{1}{2}\left[\frac{q E}{m}\right] t^{2}$
So eliminating t between equation for x and y, we have
$\mathrm{y}=\frac{\mathrm{q} \mathrm{E}}{2 \mathrm{~m}}\left[\frac{\mathrm{x}}{\mathrm{v}_{0}}\right]^{2}=\frac{\mathrm{q} \mathrm{E}}{2 \mathrm{mv}_{0}^{2}} \mathrm{x}^{2}$
If the particle is projected perpendicular to the field the path is a parabola.
So, that's all from this article. I hope you get the idea about the motion of charged particles in electric field. If you liked this article then please share it with your friends. If you have any confusion related to this topic then feel free to ask in the comments section down below.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to common questions.
What is the motion of a charged particle in a uniform electric field?
A charged particle in a uniform electric field experiences a constant force F = qE, producing constant acceleration a = qE/m. If released from rest or moving along the field, it follows a straight-line path. If projected perpendicular to the field, it traces a parabola — exactly like a horizontally projected object under gravity.
What is the formula for velocity of a charged particle accelerated through potential difference V?
The velocity is given by v = √(2qV/m), derived directly from the work-energy theorem: the work done by the field (qV) equals the kinetic energy gained (½mv²). This formula assumes the particle starts from rest. If it has initial velocity u, use v = √(u² + 2qV/m).
Does the electric force do work on a charged particle moving along an equipotential surface?
No. Along an equipotential surface, the potential difference between any two points is zero. Since W = qΔV = 0, the electric force does no work. Consequently, the speed of the particle does not change — only its direction may change.
How is the motion of a charged particle in an electric field different from its motion in a magnetic field?
The electric force F = qE acts along the field direction and does work on the particle, changing its kinetic energy.The magnetic force F = qv × B always acts perpendicular to velocity, does no work, and only changes the direction of motion (not speed). In an electric field, speed changes; in a magnetic field, speed stays constant.
What is the significance of the work-energy theorem in the motion of charged particles?
The work-energy theorem ΔKE = qΔV is the quickest way to find the speed of a charged particle at any point without tracing the full trajectory. It works for both uniform and non-uniform fields because the electric force is conservative. This approach is especially powerful in JEE problems where the path is complex but the initial and final potentials are given.
