Notebook 5

Flemings Hand Rules

There are several hand rules that are quite useful for remembering various electromagnetic
relationships and they are divided into four groups:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Hand thumb rules along a conductor

Hand thumb rules for solenoid and electromagnetic poles
Hand generator effect rules
Hand motor principle rules

It is important to know that the hand rules that are based on current flow (conventional current
direction) and the hand flows that are based on electron flow (actual direction of electron
movement) will be the EXACT opposite.
The four rules are explained below:

Flemings Right Hand Thumb Rule

Flemings right hand thumb rule states that if the right hand is used to grasp a conducting wire
with the thumb in the direction of the current flow, the fingers will indicate the direction of the
magnetic field lines of force surrounding the conductor

Flemings Right Hand Solenoid and Electromagnetic Rule

In this rule, the thumb is the direction of north pole and the fingers are conventional current or
electron flow. When a conductor is looped to form a coil, the magnetic fields from both sides
join to double the magnetic field strength inside the loop. A solenoid is a helix coil through
which current is flowing; it uses the coil loops to produce a greatly strengthened magnetic field.

Flemings Right Hand Generator Rule

Flemings Right Hand Rule is used when you are referring to generators. This rule states that if
the thumb points in the direction the conductor (or armature) is moving and the index finger
points in the direction of the magnetic lines of force field, then the middle finger will indicate
the direction of the conventional current.

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Flemings Left Hand Motor Rule

Flemings left hand rule is used when referring to motors. The rule states that if the index finger
points in the direction of the magnetic lines of force field and the middle finger points in the
direction of the conventional current, the thumb will indicate the direction that the conductor
will move. So,

The Relationship between Electricity and Magnets

Magnetic fields are produced by moving charges, current, and moving charges are
affected by magnets.
Any moving charge produces a magnetic field
When current flows in a conductor, a magnetic field is created around the conductor
As current goes up, so does the magnetic field strength. Conversely, a magnetic field in
motion creates electric current
Electrical current can generate a magnetic field.
There are three ways to create the motion between lines of force and a conductor
1. Move the conductor through a stationary, unchanging-strength magnetic field.
2. Move magnetic lines of force through a stationary conductor with an
unchanging-strength magnetic field
3. Vary the magnetic flux strength from a stationary magnet through a stationary
conductor. As the flux strength varies, the lines of force will expand and contract,
in effect causing the relative motion necessary to induce current.

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