Signposting Fleming’s Left Hand and Right Hand Rules

e=mc2andallthat

Students undoubtedly find electromagnetism tricky, especially at GCSE.

I have found it helpful to start with the F = BIl formula.

Introducing the “magnetic Bill” formula

This means that we can use the streamlined F-B-I mnemonic — developed by no less a personage than Robert J. Van De Graaff (1901-1967) of Van De Graaff generator fame — instead of the cumbersome “First finger = Field, seCond finger = Current, thuMb = Motion” convention.

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Say F, then B, then I ….

Students find the beginning steps of applying Fleming’s Left Hand Rule (FLHR) quite hard to apply, so I print out little 3D “signposts” to help them. You can download file by clicking the link below.

signposts-for-flhr-and-frhr-templatesDownload

You can see how they are used in the photo below.

Photograph to show how to use the FLHR signpost

Important tip: it can…

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