A Level Physics Practice Exam

What is the specific charge of a charged particle defined as?

1. Mass divided by charge

2. Charge divided by mass

3. Charge times mass

4. Mass squared divided by charge

The correct answer is: Charge divided by mass

The specific charge of a charged particle is defined as the ratio of the charge of the particle to its mass. This means that to find the specific charge, one divides the electric charge by the mass of the particle. The concept of specific charge is particularly useful in contexts like particle physics and materials science, as it provides valuable insights into how a particle behaves in electric and magnetic fields. Higher specific charge indicates that a particle will experience a greater force in an electric field relative to its mass, leading to greater acceleration, which is crucial in applications like particle accelerators and understanding the motion of charged particles in various fields. Thus, the correct characterization of specific charge is indeed charge divided by mass.