Answer:
0.092 m
Explanation:
A charged moving particle immersed in a region with magnetic field follows a circular trajectory at constant speed (uniform circular motion), since the magnetic forces acts perpendicular to the direction of motion of the particle.
Since the magnetic force acts as centripetal force, we can write:
where
q is the charge of the particle
v is its velocity
B is the strength of the magnetic field
m is the mass of the particle
r is the radius of the orbit
Solving the equation for r,
For the ion of oxygen-16, we have:
(it is singly charged)
So the radius of its orbit is
For the ion of oxygen-18, we have:
(it is singly charged)
So the radius of its orbit is
After each ion has travelled a semicircle, the separation between the two ions will be twice the difference in their radius, so: