Question

A pulse of radiation travels in outer space in the -y direction, with electic field pointing in the +z direction. It encounters a very dilute cloud of fully ionized hydrogen atoms. Becuase the hydrogen atoms are fully ionized, there are an equal number of free protons and free electrons in the could. What is the direction of the electric field at a point <15, 0, 0> m on the positive x-axis due to the re-rediation from the cloud of ionized hydrogen atoms?

Answer 1

The direction of pulse of radiation is in the -y direction and the electric field pointing in the z direction.we have to find out the direction of the electric field at a point<15,0,0>m on the positive x axis due to the cloud of ionized hydrogen atoms.The cloud of hydrogen atoms are fully ionized so the protons and electrons behaves like individual particles.Due to this reason when the cloud encounters the protons are moved close to the positive z direction and electrons move to the positive x direction.so the direction of electric field due to the cloud is in the negetive x direction because the electron get deflected from positive z direction.