Question

A free electron and a free proton are released in identical electric fields.

Answer 1

Answer:

i) They are equal . ii) It is thousands of times greater for the electron.

Explanation:

i) By definition, the electric field is the electric force per unit charge. If the field is the same, the force will depend on the value of the charge under the influence of the field.

As the magnitude of  the charge of the electron and the proton are the same, we conclude that the electric force on both must be equal in magnitude.

ii) The acceleration on both particles must meet the Newton´s 2nd Law, so, if the forces are equal in magnitude (neglecting any other external interaction), the acceleration will only depend on the mass of both particles, according this general expression:

a = F/m

As the mass of the electron is approximately two thousands times smaller than the proton´s, it concludes that the acceleration on the electron must be thousands of times greater for the electron.