Science Common Sense

1354 - How does electricity generate a magnetic field and what is its direction?

Imagine you have a long wire with electricity flowing through it. The moving electricity (electrons) in the wire creates a magnetic field around it. This is called the "electromagnetic effect."

The direction of the magnetic field is easy to remember: if you point your thumb in the direction the electricity is flowing, your fingers will curl around the wire in the direction of the magnetic field.

Here's a simple way to recall this:

• Point your thumb (the direction electricity flows)
• Fingers curl around (the direction of the magnetic field)

This rule is called the "Right Hand Rule." It helps you find the direction of the magnetic field around a wire with electricity flowing through it.