Ask AI: Can an electron at rest in a magnetic field be set into motion by the magnetic field? What if it were at rest in an electric field?

An electron at rest in a magnetic field will not be set into motion by the magnetic field. This is because the force exerted by a magnetic field on a charged particle is perpendicular to the direction of its motion and depends on its velocity. If the electron is not moving, there is no force from the magnetic field to set it into motion. On the other hand, an electron at rest in an electric field will be set into motion. This is because the force exerted by an electric field on a charged particle is along the direction of the field and does not depend on the velocity of the particle. Even if the electron is initially at rest, the electric field can exert a force on it, causing it to accelerate in the direction opposite to the electric field (since electron is a negatively charged particle).