Question

What is Maxwell’s corkscrew rule? For what it is used for?

Answer 1

Hint: Maxwell corkscrew is also known as the right-hand thumb rule. Maxwell corkscrew rule is applicable only in the electric current-carrying conductor’s direction.

Complete answer:
Fleming’s right-hand rule is also called Maxwell corkscrew rule. It shows the direction of the induced current when a conductor is attached to the circuit that is moving in a magnetic field.
Consider a wire that is attached to a circuit that is moving through the magnetic field, the electric current is induced because of Faraday’s law of induction.
There are two possible directions of the current inside the wire. The flow of the electric current can be determined by Fleming’s right-hand rule. The maxwell corkscrew rule can be explained well with the help of a diagram.

Look at the above diagram. In the diagram, the right hand is held with the thumb, index finger, and middle finger. The three fingers are held mutually perpendicular to each other.
The thumb finger is pointed along the direction of the conductor’s motion which is relative to the magnetic field.
The first finger is pointed in the direction of the magnetic field.
The second finger is the direction of the induced current that is generated within the conductor.
This is known as Fleming’s right-hand rule or Maxwell’s corkscrew rule.
Use: The rule can be used to find or determine the direction of the windings in the generator.

Note: There is another rule known as Fleming’s left-hand rule. It is the simple rule that is used to find the motion or direction of the conductor in an electric field if the direction of the magnetic field and the direction of the electric is known.