The right-hand thumb rule, often associated with electromagnetism, does not have a single "father" as it is a practical tool derived from fundamental laws of physics. However, it is most closely related to the work of **Hans Christian Ørsted** and **André-Marie Ampère**.
### 1. **Hans Christian Ørsted (1777–1851):**
- Ørsted was a Danish physicist and chemist who is credited with the discovery of electromagnetism in 1820. He observed that a compass needle deflected when placed near a wire carrying an electric current, demonstrating a direct relationship between electricity and magnetism. This experiment was crucial in establishing the foundational concepts of electromagnetism.
- Ørsted's discovery led to the understanding that an electric current generates a magnetic field around it, which could be predicted using a specific hand rule. Although Ørsted did not formulate the right-hand thumb rule as we know it, his work laid the groundwork for it.
### 2. **André-Marie Ampère (1775–1836):**
- Ampère, a French physicist and mathematician, expanded upon Ørsted's work and formulated the mathematical relationship between electric current and magnetic fields, known as Ampère's Law. His contributions to the field of electrodynamics were fundamental in formalizing the concepts of electromagnetism.
- The right-hand rule is closely related to Ampère's Law, as it provides a practical method to determine the direction of the magnetic field generated by an electric current.
### The Right-Hand Thumb Rule:
- The right-hand thumb rule is a mnemonic used to determine the direction of the magnetic field around a current-carrying conductor. According to this rule, if you point the thumb of your right hand in the direction of the conventional current (positive to negative), the direction in which your fingers curl represents the direction of the magnetic field lines encircling the conductor.
### Summary:
While the right-hand thumb rule is not directly attributed to a single individual, it is a conceptual tool derived from the foundational work of scientists like **Hans Christian Ørsted** and **André-Marie Ampère**. Ørsted's discovery of the relationship between electricity and magnetism and Ampère's subsequent formulation of the laws governing these phenomena were crucial in the development of the rule. Therefore, both Ørsted and Ampère can be regarded as key figures in the history of the right-hand thumb rule.