Question

You stand new the earth's equator. A positively charged particle that starts moving parallel to the surface of the earth in a straight line directed cast is initially deflected upwards. If you know there are no electric fields in the vicinity, a possible reason why the particle does not initially acquire a downward component of velocity is because near the equator the magnetic field lines of the earth are directed
a. upward.
b. downward.
c. from south to north.
d. from north to south.
e. from east to west.

Answer 1

Answer:

c. from south to north

Explanation:

since we know that:

F = qv×B

where F is the force and in this case is pointed upward

where v is the velocity due east

the field must be due north by the right hand rule

Therefore,  near the equator the magnetic field lines of the earth are directed north from south