The answer "use the right-hand rule" isn't working for my brain. I'd really like to understand how to answer the following: You can make an electromagnet by wrapping wire around a wire and connecting the ends to a battery. If the battery is connected so that current wraps up in the front and down in the back, which direction will the magnetic field of the nail point?

Question

Thank you

Answer 1

First of all the "current" for the right hand rule is positive current carrent carriers, mythical as they are in a wire. Put your thumb in the direction of positive current, then curl the fingers, that is the direction of the surrounding magnetic field.
Now, on magnetic field, that is the direction of an isolated N pole, going to the S pole.
http://electrical4u.com/electrical/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/right-hand-rule.png

Answer 2

Thanks. Pretty much what the photos in the book have, and what the professor said. Still don't understand. I appreciate your time.

Answer 3

N is to the left

google "right hand SOLENOID rule"