Fleming's left hand rule
What Fleming's left hand rule means in Physics GCSE, as defined for AQA, Pearson Edexcel.
Definitions of Fleming's left hand rule
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Reference: AQA
A rule that represents the relative orientation of the force, the current in the conductor and the magnetic field, using the thumb, first finger and second finger of the left hand.
The rule that fixes which way round the rotation goes: first finger field, second finger current, thumb motion.
A mnemonic rule used to determine the direction of the force on a current-carrying conductor in a magnetic field. The first finger points in the direction of the magnetic Field (N to S), the second finger points in the direction of the conventional Current (+ to -), and the thumb points in the direction of the Force (Motion).
Topics that use Fleming's left hand rule
- Electric motors (HT only) (AQA GCSE)
- Fleming's left-hand rule (HT only) (AQA GCSE)
- Topic 12 – Magnetism and the motor effect (Pearson Edexcel GCSE)
Related terms
- motor effect
- conventional current
- split-ring commutator
- Armature
- Carbon Brushes
- Current
- equal and opposite forces
- F = B I l
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