Students undoubtedly find electromagnetism tricky, especially at GCSE.

I have found it helpful to start with the F = BIl formula.

This means that we can use the streamlined F-B-I mnemonic — developed by no less a personage than Robert J. Van De Graaff (1901-1967) of Van De Graaff generator fame — instead of the cumbersome “First finger = Field, seCond finger = Current, thuMb = Motion” convention.

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Students find the beginning steps of applying Fleming’s Left Hand Rule (FLHR) quite hard to apply, so I print out little 3D “signposts” to help them. You can download file by clicking the link below.

You can see how they are used in the photo below.

Important tip: it can be really helpful if students label the arrows on both sides, such as in the example shown below. (The required precision in double sided printing defeated me!)

Signposts for Fleming’s Right Hand Rule are included on the template.

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Other posts I have written on magnetism include:

• The FBI and Gang Signs for Physicists
• Electric Motors Without the Left Hand Rule (so you might not even need those signposts LOL); and
• Nature Abhors a Change in Flux.

Feel free to dip into these 🙂