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In mathematics and physics, the right-hand rule is a convention and a mnemonic, utilized to define the orientation of axes in three-dimensional space and to determine the direction of the cross product of two vectors, as well as to establish the direction of the force on a current-carrying conductor in a magnetic field.
There is also a Fleming's left-hand rule (for electric motors). The appropriately handed rule can be recalled from the letter "g", which is in "right" and "generator". These mnemonics are named after British engineer John Ambrose Fleming, who invented them. An equivalent version of Fleming's right-hand rule is the left-hand palm rule. [2]
Conventionally, it is given by the right-hand rule, where one simply points the forefinger of the right hand in the direction of a and the middle finger in the direction of b. Then, the vector n is coming out of the thumb (see the adjacent picture). Using this rule implies that the cross product is anti-commutative; that is, b × a = −(a × b).
The left-handed orientation is shown on the left, and the right-handed on the right. The orientation of a real vector space or simply orientation of a vector space is the arbitrary choice of which ordered bases are "positively" oriented and which are "negatively" oriented.
A Magic Triangle image mnemonic - when the terms of Ohm's law are arranged in this configuration, covering the unknown gives the formula in terms of the remaining parameters. It can be adapted to similar equations e.g. F = ma, v = fλ, E = mcΔT, V = π r 2 h and τ = rF sinθ.
The various FBI mnemonics (for electric motors) show the direction of the force on a conductor carrying a current in a magnetic field as predicted by Fleming's left hand rule for motors [1] and Faraday's law of induction. Other mnemonics exist that use a right hand rule for predicting resulting motion from a preexisting current and field.
Using the right hand rule to find the direction of the magnetic field. The direction of the magnetic field at a point, the direction of the arrowheads on the magnetic field lines, which is the direction that the "north pole" of the compass needle points, can be found from the current by the right-hand rule.
Using the right-hand rule, it can be predicted that the resulting curl would be straight in the negative z direction. Inversely, if placed on x = −3, the object would rotate counterclockwise and the right-hand rule would result in a positive z direction.