Question

The direction of current in the coil at one end of an electromagnet is clockwise. This end of the electromagnet is.
A. North Pole.
B. South Pole.
C. East Pole.
D. West Pole.

Answer 1

A current carrying coil can be considered as an electromagnet. We can use clock rules to find which end of the electromagnet will behave as the North Pole and which end will behave as the South Pole.

Complete step by step answer:
A current carrying coil behaves as an electromagnet having one end will become North Pole and other end will become South Pole. We need to first understand the Clock face rule, in order to solve this problem. The clock face rule states that, if observe that current is flowing in clockwise from one end of the electromagnet then that end of the coil will behave as South Pole and if the current flowing through the electromagnet is observed to be anti-clockwise then that end of the electromagnet will behave as North Pole.
Let us consider an example,

In this coil the observer will find that the flow of current is anti-clock wise and according to clock face rule this end of the coil will behave as the North Pole.
In the given problem the current flows flow is clockwise,

As it is given in the problem that by observing from one end the flow of current was clockwise therefore it is clear that this end of the electromagnet is South Pole. The correct option for this problem is option B i.e. South Pole.

Note: Students should not get confused between a coil and an electromagnet. An electromagnet is a magnet in which magnetic fields are produced by electric current. A current carrying coil behaves as electromagnet and only until there is flow of current from the coil as the flow of current stops the coil stops behaving as electromagnet. Also by curling the right hand along the direction of the current in the loop, the right thumb determines the direction of the magnetic field due to the current.