Chapter 24, Problem 70A

To determine

The direction of force on the wire carrying current.

Explanation of Solution

Introduction:

When electric current flows through a wire, magnetic field is generated around the wire. A conductor carrying current generates its own magnetic field. When placed in another magnetic field, a force is exerted on the wire because of the interaction between the magnetic field and the field generated by the current carrying wire. The direction in which the force is exerted on the conducting wire can be known by Fleming’s left-hand rule.

The current in the wire moves into the paper and magnetic field from N to S. As perthe rule, the thumb points downwards which means the direction of force on the wire is downwards.