Question

A wire runs left to right and carries a current in the direction shown. What is the direction of the magnetic field at point z?

1) left
2) right
3) into the screen
4) out of the screen

Answer 1

Using the right-hand rule, for a wire along the y-axis with current in the positive y-direction, the magnetic field direction at a point on the positive x-axis near the wire is into the page.

Step-by-step explanation:

To determine the direction of the magnetic field created by a wire carrying a current, we can use the right-hand rule. When a wire runs along the y-axis and carries a current in the positive y-direction, you point the thumb of your right hand in the direction of the current (upward, in this case) and then curl your fingers. The curl of your fingers shows the direction of the magnetic field circling around the wire.

At a point on the positive x-axis, your curled right fingers are pointing into the page, indicating that the magnetic field at this point is directed into the page. So the correct answer is: c. into the page.