The NASA Scientist hasn't replied yet but a Physics Professor has!

The following is my correspondence with a Physics Professor, Mats A Selen, currently teaching at the University of Illinois.
Check it out.


Hi,

I am Priscilla Lim all the way from Singapore, (aka the Little Red Dot), a student and i got hold of your email from this website: http://van.physics.illinois.edu/website/contact.php
I am not sure if you will get to read this email, but i have a question.
And it is this:
Does a magnet have an effect on ions?
I am sorry but i don't study physics, so.... i am a little bit ignorant in this field. (I study biology and chemistry)

Thanks for your time and i just want to say what a great job you guys are doing, you know the whole "ask-us-a-question" thing.

Cheers,

Priscilla Lim.

Hi Priscilla,

I’m glad to hear all the way from Singapore! The answer to your question is yes – a magnetic field can exert a force on any moving charge, so since an ion is charged a magnetic field can exert a force on a moving ion. The size of the force will depend on how big the magnet is and on the velocity of the ion.

Mats

I replied him of course even though according to their 'rules' i wasn't supposed to. But what can i say! The hunger for Knowledge got the better of me. I am just really surprised and honoured he replied. Oh man... call me a nutcase but this is really exciting!