Question

The magnetic field associated with a current carrying straight conductor is in an anticlockwise direction. If the conductor was held along the east-west direction, what will be the direction of current through it? Name and state the rule applied to determine the direction of the current.

Answer 1

The direction of the flow of current can be found out by Maxwell's Right Hand Thumb Rule. It states that if we point our right-hand thumb in the direction of current then the fingers of our hand curl along the direction magnetic field.

Now it is given that the magnetic field is in the anti-clockwise direction. If we look at the conductor from the right and apply the Thumb rule, the direction of current would be towards the East. However, if you look at the field from the left and apply this rule, the direction of current would be towards the west.