5 Questions
What is Fleming's left-hand rule and who originated it?
Fleming's left-hand rule is a visual mnemonic for working out the direction of motion in an electric motor or the direction of electric current in an electric generator. It was originated by John Ambrose Fleming in the late 19th century.
Explain the relationship between the conducting wire, external magnetic field, and the resulting force according to Fleming's left-hand rule.
When current flows through a conducting wire and an external magnetic field is applied across that flow, the conducting wire experiences a force perpendicular to both the field and the direction of the current flow, i.e. they are mutually perpendicular.
How can a left hand be used to represent three mutually orthogonal axes in Fleming's left-hand rule?
A left hand can be held to represent three mutually orthogonal axes on the thumb, forefinger, and middle finger. Each finger is then assigned to a quantity (mechanical force, magnetic field, and electric current).
What are the conventions for the direction of the mechanical force, magnetic field, and electric current in Fleming's left-hand rule?
The direction of the mechanical force is the literal one, the direction of the magnetic field is from north to south, and the direction of the electric current is that of conventional current: from positive to negative.
Explain the representations of the thumb, forefinger, and middle finger in the first variant of Fleming's left-hand rule.
In the first variant, the thumb represents the direction of the motion of the conductor, the forefinger represents the direction of the magnetic field, and the center finger represents the direction of the current.
Study Notes
Fleming's Left-Hand Rule
- Fleming's left-hand rule is a simple and effective way to determine the direction of the mechanical force, magnetic field, and electric current in an electromagnetic system.
- The rule was originated by John Ambrose Fleming, an English electrical engineer and physicist.
Relationship between Conducting Wire, External Magnetic Field, and Resulting Force
- According to Fleming's left-hand rule, when a conducting wire is placed in an external magnetic field, an electromotive force (EMF) is induced, resulting in a mechanical force on the wire.
- The direction of the mechanical force, magnetic field, and electric current are interrelated and can be predicted using Fleming's left-hand rule.
Representation of Mutually Orthogonal Axes
- A left hand can be used to represent three mutually orthogonal axes in Fleming's left-hand rule.
- The thumb, forefinger, and middle finger of the left hand can be used to represent the magnetic field (B), electric current (I), and mechanical force (F) respectively, with the axes being orthogonal to each other.
Conventions for Direction of Mechanical Force, Magnetic Field, and Electric Current
- The direction of the mechanical force (F) is the direction of the thumb.
- The direction of the magnetic field (B) is the direction of the forefinger.
- The direction of the electric current (I) is the direction of the middle finger.
Representation in the First Variant of Fleming's Left-Hand Rule
- In the first variant of Fleming's left-hand rule, the thumb represents the mechanical force (F).
- The forefinger represents the magnetic field (B).
- The middle finger represents the electric current (I).
Test your knowledge of the right-hand rule in mathematics and physics with this quiz. Explore the conventions and applications of the rule, including the Flemming's right hand rule, for determining vector orientations in three-dimensional space.
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