Question

An electric current flows in a wire from north to south. What will be the direction of the magnetic field due to this wire at a point (a) east of the wire, (b) west of the wire, (c) vertically above the wire and (d) vertically below the wire?

Answer 1

According to the right-hand thumb rule, if the thumb of our right hand points in the direction of the current flowing, then the curling of the fingers will show the direction of the magnetic field developed due to it and vice versa. Let us consider the case where an electric current flows north to south in a wire.
According to the right-hand thumb rule,
(a) for any point in the east of the wire, the magnetic field will come out of the plane of paper
(b) for a point in the west of the wire, the magnetic field will enter the plane of paper
(c) for any point vertically above the wire, the magnetic field will be from right to left
(d) for any point vertically below the wire, the magnetic field will be from left to right