A long straight vertical wire carries a steady current directed vertically upward. What is the direction of the magnetic field at a point located horizontally to the south of the wire?

Step-by-step solution

According to the right-hand thumb rule, if we point the thumb of our right hand in the direction of the current (vertically upward), our curled fingers indicate the direction of the magnetic field lines. The magnetic field lines form concentric circles around the wire in a counterclockwise direction when viewed from above. Let the wire be along the z-axis with the current flowing in the +z direction (upward). Let North be the +y direction, South be the -y direction, East be the +x direction, and West be the -x dire