when do we apply the right hand thumb rule and when left hand thumb rule?

Dear student,

If a current carrying conductor is imagined to be held in your right hand such that the thumb points along the direction of current, then the direction of the wrapped fingers will give the direction of magnetic field lines.

Accordingly if current in wire is vertically upward, the magnetic field lines are anticlockwise, while if current in wire is vertically downward, the magnetic field lines are clockwise.

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All the best.

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Askiitians Expert

Sagar Singh

B.Tech, IIT Delhi

We apply right hand thumb rule when direction of motion and direction of magnetic field are given, and we have to find the direction of induced current. On the other hand, left hand thumb rule is applied when we know the direction of current and that of the magnetic field, but the direction of motion of conductor is required