Right Hand Rule Experiment Apparatus

Quick Answer: The Right Hand Rule Experiment Apparatus hangs a small copper-wound conductor on flexible leads between the opposite poles of two magnets, below a bar carrying supply terminals. Current through the conductor makes it swing, and moving it by hand induces a current, so students can check the direction rules that link current, magnetic field and motion.

Field, Current and Motion at Right Angles

In the listing image, two metal pillars on a flat base hold up a red top bar fitted with a pair of terminals and two knobs. Below the bar, a small conductor wound with copper wire hangs on flexible leads in the gap between two upright magnets, one marked N and the other S. The conductor is free to swing towards or away from the pillars.

Connect a low-voltage DC supply to the terminals and the conductor kicks out of the gap or into it; reverse the current, or swap the magnets over, and it swings the other way. The force acts at right angles to both the field and the current, and for a straight conductor at right angles to the field it equals field strength times current times length. Indian syllabuses predict the direction with Fleming’s left-hand rule; many other syllabuses use a right-hand palm rule, with the fingers along the field and the thumb along the current, which gives the same answer.

The same apparatus shows Fleming’s right-hand rule, the generator rule. With a sensitive galvanometer connected to the terminals instead of a supply, pushing the conductor through the field by hand induces a current whose direction reverses with the direction of motion. Using the apparatus both ways helps students keep motor and generator rules apart. The supply rating, and whether a galvanometer is included, should be confirmed at enquiry. The field around a single conductor, which underlies both rules, is shown by the Ampere’s Law Demonstration Apparatus.

Applications

• Verifying the direction of the force on a current in a magnetic field
• Comparing Fleming’s left-hand rule with the right-hand palm rule
• Showing induced current with a galvanometer, following Fleming’s right-hand rule
• Explaining how electric motors and generators work

Specifications

Care & Handling

• Use a current-limited supply or a series rheostat and switch on briefly, as the conductor has very low resistance.
• Avoid kinking the flexible leads, which fatigue and break with repeated sharp bends.
• Keep steel tools and loose iron away from the magnet gap.
• Store the apparatus with the conductor hanging still and the terminals disconnected.

Why Choose LabEquip

Physics teachers use this apparatus in the magnetic effects of current unit, where the hand rules are easy to muddle until students see the conductor move. LabEquip supplies it through the STEM kits range, and you can check the supply rating or meter through our contact page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which rule does this apparatus demonstrate?

Both, depending on how it is connected. With a supply, the field pushes the current-carrying conductor, the motor effect described by Fleming’s left-hand rule or the right-hand palm rule. With a galvanometer, moving the conductor induces a current, described by Fleming’s right-hand rule.

How is Fleming’s right-hand rule used?

Hold the thumb, first finger and second finger of the right hand at right angles to each other. Point the thumb along the motion of the conductor and the first finger along the field from north to south; the second finger then shows the direction of the induced current.

Why does reversing the current reverse the swing?

The force on the conductor depends on the directions of both the current and the magnetic field. Reversing either one reverses the force, while reversing both together leaves its direction unchanged.

Why do some books call the motor rule a right-hand rule?

Different syllabuses use different hand rules for the same physics. Fleming’s left-hand rule and the right-hand palm rule, with fingers along the field and thumb along the current, give the same force direction, so students should use the rule their syllabus teaches.

What makes the swing bigger?

A larger current, a stronger magnetic field or a longer length of conductor inside the field all increase the force. For a straight conductor at right angles to the field, the force equals field strength times current times length.

What supply is suitable?

A low-voltage DC supply with a series rheostat or a current limit, switched on briefly, because the conductor has very low resistance. The current rating for this unit should be confirmed at enquiry.

Last Updated: September 2026