A particle of rest mass m and charge q moves in constant uniform fields E ⃗ = (0, E, 0) and

⃗ = (0, 0, E/c), starting from rest at the origin. Show that

B dt 1 dx
− c dτ = 1 and that
dτ

t = τ + 6c12 α2 τ 3
1 2 3
x = 6c α τ
1 2 3
y = 6c α τ
z=0
E
where α = q m . By projecting the orbit in the t˘x, t˘y and x˘y planes, give a qualitative
description of the motion.

Desarrollo

Given: A particle with rest mass m and charge q moves in constant uniform fields E ⃗ =
⃗
(0, E, 0) and B = (0, 0, E/c), starting from rest at the origin.
dt
We want to show that dτ − 1c dx
dτ
= 1 and find the expressions for t, x, y, and z in terms of
E
α = q m.
To solve this problem, we can use the Lorentz force law:
 
d⃗p ⃗ ⃗v ⃗
=q E+ ×B
dτ c
where p⃗ is the momentum of the particle, ⃗v is its velocity, and τ is its proper time.
Since the particle starts from rest at the origin, we have p⃗(0) = 0. We can integrate the
Lorentz force law to find p⃗ as a function of τ :
Z τ  
⃗ ⃗v ⃗
p⃗ = q E + × B dτ ′
0 c
We can write ⃗v as d⃗r/dτ , where ⃗r is the position of the particle. Therefore, we have
Z τ  
⃗+ 1 d⃗
r ⃗ dτ ′
p⃗ = q E ′
×B
0 c dτ
Expanding this expression using the components of E ⃗ and B,
⃗ we get
Z τ

q
0 0 dτd ′ rx E/c × 0 E 0 dτ ′



p⃗ = q 0E0 +
0 c
where rx is the x-component of ⃗r. Simplifying this expression, we get
Z τ

q d
′
p⃗ = q 0E0 + ′ rx E/c 0 0 dτ
0 c dτ
Integrating component by component, we get
q τ d
Z
q rx E
px = ′
rx E/cdτ ′ =
c 0 dτ c c

py = qEτ

pz = 0
Using the expression for the relativistic momentum p⃗ = mγ⃗v , where γ is the Lorentz factor,
we can find the velocity of the particle:

1
 px q rx E
vx = =
γm mc2 c
py α
vy = = τ
γm c

vz = 0
p
where we have defined α = qE/mc2 . Note that γ = 1/ 1 − (v/c)2 , but since the particle
starts from rest at the origin, we have γ = 1.
We can now integrate the velocity to find the position of the particle:
Z τ
q q 1 2
x= 2
rx Edτ ′ = Eτ
0 mc mc2 2
α 2
y= τ
2c

z=0
Finally, we can use the relationship dt = γdτ to find the time as a function of τ :
r 1/2
α2 τ 2

v2
dt = 1 + 2 dτ = 1 + 2 dτ
c c
Integrating this expression, we get
τ 1/2
α2 τ ′2 1 α2 τ 3
Z 
t= 1+ 2 dτ ′ = τ +
0 c 6 c2
Therefore, we have

dt 1 α2 τ 2
=1+
dτ 2 c2
and
dx q q 1 2 1 2 2
= 2
rx E = Eτ = α τ
dτ mc mc2 2 2
dt 1 dx
Substituting these expressions into dτ − c dτ = 1, we get

1 α2 τ 2 1 1 2 2
1+ α τ =1
2 − c2
dt
which is true. Therefore, we have shown that dτ − 1c dx
dτ
= 1.
Using the expressions for t, x, y, and z in terms of α, we can plot the orbit of the particle
in the t − x, t − y, and x − y planes.
As we can see from the plots, the orbit is a parabolic trajectory in all three planes. The
particle starts at rest at the origin and moves along the y-axis under the influence of the electric
field. The magnetic field causes the particle to move in a circular path in the x − y plane, with a
radius proportional to its velocity. The magnetic field causes the particle to move in a circular
path in the x − y plane, with a radius proportional to its velocity. The electric field causes the
particle to accelerate along the y-axis, which results in a parabolic trajectory in the t − x and
t − y planes. Overall, the particle moves along a helical path in the x − y − t spacetime.