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tskir t1_iz58n12 wrote

Alpha particles are positively charged, so they will be deflected by a magnetic field. The magnitude of the deflection will depend on the strength of the magnetic field and the velocity of the alpha particles. Because alpha particles are relatively massive and have a relatively large charge, they will experience a larger force and greater deflection in a magnetic field than other particles with the same velocity.

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mfb- t1_iz8gvdn wrote

The large mass reduces the deflection - it increases inertia but not the force. An electron at the same speed will be deflected much more as its charge to mass ratio is larger by a factor 4000.

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