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- Fleming's left-hand rule for motors is one of a pair of visual mnemonics, the other
being Fleming's right-hand rule (for generators). They were originated by John Ambrose
Fleming, in the late 19th century, as a simple way of working out the direction of motion in
an electric motor, or the direction of electric current in an electric generator. When current
flows through a conducting wire, and an external magnetic field is applied across that flow,
the conducting wire experiences a force perpendicular both to that field and to the direction
of the current flow (i.e they are mutually perpendicular) . A left hand can be held, as shown
in the illustration, so as to represent three mutually orthogonal axes on the thumb, fore
finger and middle finger. Each finger is then assigned to a quantity (mechanical force,
magnetic field and electric current). The right and left hand are used for generators and
motors respectively.
- Fleming's left-hand rule is used for electric motors, while Fleming's right-hand rule is used
for electric generators.
Different hands need to be used for motors and generators because of the differences
between cause and effect.
In an electric motor, the electric current and magnetic field exist (which are the causes), and
they lead to the force that creates the motion (which is the effect), and so the left hand rule
is used. In an electric generator, the motion and magnetic field exist (causes), and they lead
to the creation of the electric current (effect), and so the right hand rule is used.
To illustrate why, consider that many types of electric motors can also be used as electric
generators. A vehicle powered by such a motor can be accelerated up to high speed by
connecting the motor to a fully charged battery. If the motor is then disconnected from the
fully charged battery, and connected instead to a completely flat battery, the vehicle will
decelerate. The motor will act as a generator and convert the vehicle's kinetic energy back to
electrical energy, which is then stored in the battery. Since neither the direction of motion
nor the direction of the magnetic field (inside the motor/generator) has changed, the
direction of the electric current in the motor/generator has reversed. This follows from the
second law of thermodynamics (the generator current must oppose the motor current, and
the stronger current outweighs the other to allow the energy to flow from the more
energetic source to the less energetic source).
The rule for motors can be recalled by remembering that "motors drive on the left in
Britain". The rule for generators can be recalled by remembering that either the letters "g"
and "r" is common to both "right" and "generator", or the phrase "Jenny is always right"