Lorentz Force Calculator

Your details

Choose which quantity you want to calculate. All others become inputs.
Select a common particle to pre-fill its charge, or choose Custom to enter your own.
Electric charge of the particle. Negative for electrons, positive for protons.
Speed of the particle. The magnetic force is zero when the particle is stationary.
Strength of the magnetic field. 1 T is a very strong laboratory field; Earth's field is about 25-65 µT.
Angle between the velocity vector and the magnetic field direction. 90 degrees gives maximum force; 0 or 180 degrees gives zero force.
deg
Magnetic Force (F)Micronewton range
0.0005

The Lorentz magnetic force on the moving charged particle

Force (in chosen unit)5.000e-4 N
sin(θ)1
Maximum possible force5.000e-4 N (at 90 deg)
Direction ruleCharge is positive. Positive charge: use the right-hand rule - point fingers along v, curl toward B, thumb points in force direction.
1 sin θ
Near-parallel (< 10 deg)<0.17Moderate angle0.17-0.5Large angle0.5-0.87Perpendicular (max force)0.87+

Magnetic force: 5.000e-4 N

  • The velocity is perpendicular to the field: this gives the maximum possible magnetic force.
  • The magnetic force does no work on the particle - it changes direction but not speed, causing circular or helical motion.

Next stepMaximum force at 90 degrees would be 5.000e-4 N (at 90 deg). The force direction is always perpendicular to the plane containing v and B.

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