Fleming’s right-hand rule enables you to tell in which direction a current flow in a wire that is moved in a magnetic field. Hold your hand as shown and point your thumb, in the direction of motion and your first finger in the direction of the magnetic field. Your second finger will then point in the direction in which current flows in the wire.
Physicists use a hand mnemonic known as the right-hand rule to help remember the direction of magnetic forces. To form the mnemonic, first make an L-shape with the thumb and first two fingers of your right hand. Then, point your middle finger perpendicular to your thumb and index finger.
The right-hand rule is based on the underlying physics that relates magnetic fields and the forces that they exert on moving charges—it just represents an easy way for physicists to remember the directions that things are supposed to point. Occasionally a physicist will accidentally use their left hand, causing them to predict that the magnetic force will point in a direction opposite the true direction!
Moving charges
When charges are sitting still, they are unaffected by magnetic fields, but as soon as they start to move, the magnetic field pushes on them. But, the direction in which the field pushes on charges is not the same as the direction of the magnetic field lines.
We can remember this diagram using the right-hand rule. If you point your pointer finger in the direction the positive charge is moving, and then your middle finger in the direction of the magnetic field, your thumb points in the direction of the magnetic force pushing on the moving charge. When you’re dealing with negative charges—like moving electrons—the force points in the opposite direction as your thumb.