A wire carrying a large current i from east to west is placed over an ordinary magnetic compass. The end of the compass needle marked "N" will point:
A) north
B) south
C) east
D) west
E) the compass will act as an electric motor, hence the needle will keep rotating

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

According to the right-hand rule of electromagnetism, when a current flows through a wire, a magnetic field is created around the wire in a direction perpendicular to the current flow. This magnetic field will interact with the Earth's magnetic field, causing the compass needle to deflect. The direction of deflection is perpendicular to both the direction of the current flow (east to west) and the Earth's magnetic field (north to south). Therefore, the end of the compass needle marked "N" will point south (as it is opposite to the direction of the deflection).

A Wire Carrying a Large Current I from East to West