A wire is carrying current vertically downward.What is the direction of the force exerted on this wire due to Earth's magnetic field?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

According to the right-hand rule, the direction of the magnetic force on a current-carrying wire is perpendicular to both the direction of the current and the direction of the magnetic field. In this case, the current is flowing downward (in the direction of the force of gravity), and the magnetic field of the Earth is horizontal and pointing northward (toward the geographic north pole). Thus, the direction of the force on the wire is to the east, perpendicular to both the current and the magnetic field, as shown by the right-hand rule.

A Wire Is Carrying Current Vertically Downward