right-hand rule

American  

[rahyt-hand rool] / ˈraɪtˌhænd ˈrul /

noun

1. Mathematics. a mnemonic used to represent three-dimensional axis orientation and to establish the cross-product direction of two vectors, the depiction of which involves a specified pointing of the right hand's fingers relative to each vector's direction, with the thumb indicating the direction of the cross product.

2. Physics. a mnemonic used for determining the direction of induced current in a wire as it moves through a magnetic field, depicted by posing the right hand's thumb, index finger, and middle finger at right angles to each other, with the thumb pointing in the direction of motion of the wire, the index finger in the direction of the field, and the middle finger thus in the direction of the induced current.

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right-hand rule Scientific  

1. A rule that uses the shape the right hand to established the standard orientation of vector quantities normal to a plane, especially when calculating a vector product or the helicity of particle spin. In the case of the vector product C = A × B, the direction of C is obtained by pointing the right hand with fingers straight in the direction of A, and then bending the fingers in the direction of B; the extended thumb now roughly points in the direction of C. For spin, the fingers of the right hand should curl in the direction of motion, and the thumb shows the direction of the spin vector.

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Example Sentences

The “right-hand rule” of electromagnetism Jaakkola mentions helps keep those straight, too.

From Scientific American

The system we came up with was actually inspired by the “right-hand rule” of electromagnetism that many of us learned in high-school or college physics.

From Scientific American

Chen thought it might help students if they could apply a physics technique, such as the tricky "right-hand rule" in electromagnetism, many times, in different ways, at one sitting.

From US News