Science (086) — AI-generated practice question

Rule used: Right-Hand Thumb Rule — hold the conductor in the right hand with the thumb pointing in the direction of current (west to east); the curled fingers show the direction of the magnetic field.

Above the wire: The field is directed from south to north (i.e., towards north).

Below the wire: The field is directed from north to south (i.e., towards south).

Reasoning: Applying the right-hand thumb rule with thumb pointing east, the fingers curl over the top from south to north and under the bottom from north to south. Thus the field circles the wire in an anticlockwise sense when viewed from the west end.

Source: Chapter 12, Section 12.2.2 (Right-Hand Thumb Rule)

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• The examiner expects you to (1) name the rule, (2) state the direction above the wire, and (3) state the direction below the wire — these are the three marking points.
• The textbook Example 12.1 has current flowing east to west; this question reverses it to west to east, so the directions above and below are also reversed. Make sure you apply the rule fresh each time rather than memorising the textbook answer directly.
• A common mistake: confusing "above" and "below" — use the thumb-and-fingers image mentally to avoid this.