Mistake Master
Student view — seeing the site as a student does
CED objectives

Magnetic Fields

▶︎  Watch it animatedinteractive step-through · ~3 min · optional ⚙︎  Open the appletCross Product Bench · set v and B, then commit to the force direction before the bench draws q v x B

The magnetic field acts only on charge that moves, through $\vec{F} = q\vec{v}\times\vec{B}$. Being a cross product, the force is perpendicular to $\vec{v}$ and to $\vec{B}$ simultaneously, with magnitude $|q|vB\sin\theta$: it is zero when the velocity lies along the field, largest when the velocity is perpendicular to it, and never aligned with the field at all. Magnetic field lines carry no ends, since $\oint\vec{B}\cdot d\vec{A} = 0$ everywhere and there is no magnetic charge for a line to start on.

Three errors dominate. Aiming the force along $\vec{B}$, imported wholesale from $\vec{F} = q\vec{E}$, which sends every later trajectory the wrong way. Giving a magnetic field a grip on a charge sitting at rest, when $v = 0$ makes the force exactly zero no matter how strong the field. And reading a field-line map as a force map, ending lines on poles as if poles were charges and then dragging a charge along a line toward one. Field lines thread through the magnet and close; their direction orients a compass, and it does not point a force.

F = q v × B is perpendicular to BOTH B into the page, everywhere in this region × × × × × × × × + v F (up) NOT into the page a force along B is not a possible output of a cross product NOT to the right either a force along v would change the speed fingers along v, curl toward B, thumb gives F for POSITIVE q
The cross product leaves exactly one axis available, and it is the one perpendicular to the page-plane pair. Along B and along v are not near misses; they are outputs the operation cannot produce.
ELECTRIC DIPOLE: lines end on charge BAR MAGNET: lines close on themselves + every line starts somewhere and stops somewhere N S run INSIDE the magnet closes every loop net flux through any closed surface is zero
The difference is one segment: the dashed interior run. It has no electric counterpart, and it is why a surface around a single pole still passes zero net flux.

The work

3 ways in · any order
Lesson
Magnetic Fields

Builds the cross-product habit that replaces the electric reflex, settles what a stationary charge feels in a magnetic field, and separates a field-line map from a force map.

Skill check · 10 scenarios
Diagnostic
10-item topic check

Ten items spanning the failure modes of this topic: pointing the magnetic force along the field, giving a parked charge a magnetic push, and reading field lines as force lines that end on poles. Take it cold to find which one is yours, or after the lesson to confirm it is not.

Not started · 10 items · ~15 min
Targeted Practice
Drill a single misconception

Pick one of the failure modes you missed and drill it on its own. The round is adaptive: two correct in a row clears it for now and moves you to the next. Two in a row is a checkpoint, not proof: if the error resurfaces later, the misconception comes back.

Take the diagnostic to identify your misconceptions