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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).
Fleming's rules are a pair of visual mnemonics for determining the relative directions of magnetic field, electric current, and velocity of a conductor. [1]There are two rules, one is Fleming's left-hand rule for motors which applies to situations where an electric current induces motion in the conductor in the presence of magnetic fields (Lorentz force).
An illustration of Stokes' theorem, with surface Σ, its boundary ∂Σ and the normal vector n.The direction of positive circulation of the bounding contour ∂Σ, and the direction n of positive flux through the surface Σ, are related by a right-hand-rule (i.e., the right hand the fingers circulate along ∂Σ and the thumb is directed along n).
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.
The cross product and curl are defined, by convention, according to the right hand rule, but could have been just as easily defined in terms of a left-hand rule. The entire body of physics that deals with (right-handed) pseudovectors and the right hand rule could be replaced by using (left-handed) pseudovectors and the left hand rule without ...