Final answer:
Two perpendicular, current-carrying wires can exert a net force on each other, but there will be no net torque unless there is a pivot point or sections of the wires are offset. The direction of the force and potential torque can be determined using the right-hand rule.
Step-by-step explanation:
When two long straight wires run perpendicular to one another without touching, there is a possibility that they can exert a net force on each other if they carry electrical current. According to the right-hand rule, the direction of the magnetic field produced by a current-carrying wire wraps around the wire, and the direction of the force between the wires can be determined using this magnetic field.
If one wire exerts a force on the other, it will be directed perpendicularly to the plane defined by the wires, based on whether the currents are in the same or opposite directions. However, torque would only occur if there was a force causing rotational motion around a pivot point or axis. Since the wires are straight and not fixed in such a way that would allow for rotation caused by the force, we can conclude that there is no net torque exerted on either wire by the other due to their perpendicular arrangement with no pivot point.
If we consider a hypothetical pivot point or if the wires were not straight but rather had portions that were offset with respect to each other, then the force exerted might create a torque. In such a case, the direction of the torque would also be determined by the right-hand rule, depending on the direction of the forces and the relative positions of the parts of the wires with respect to the pivot point.