Single Particle Motion in a Plasma

This MATLAB tool demonstrates the motion of a particle under different electric and magnetic field conditions inside a plasma.

Plasma is the fourth state of matter where a significant number of particles are at an ionized state. The motion of a particle within a plasma varies under different conditions such as the magnitude and the direction of the magnetic field, the magnitude of the velocities parallel and perpendicular to the magnetic field, the magnitude and the direction of the elctric field etc.

This MATLAB tool demonstrates the single particle motion under these varying conditions. This tool is developed as a demonstration tool that can be used in introductory plasma physics courses. This tool demonstrates the motion of a single particle (a positive ion or an electron) when

1. only the magnetic field is present in the z direction with no velocity component parallel to the magnetic field (circular motion: left hand circular for protons, and right hand circular for electrons)
2. only the magnetic field is present in the z direction with a non-zero parallel velocity (helical motion: left hand sense of rotation for protons and right hand sense for electrons)
3. with both electric and magnetic fields present creating the E x B drift velocity
4. when there is a gradient in the magnetic field
5. when the magnetic field is curved

This tool is being updated constantly and feel free to contact me if you need more information at [e-mail].