# Illustration Attractive Lorentz force - two current-carrying wires of the same direction

Get illustration

Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format

Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially.

Sharing and adapting of the illustration is allowed with indication of the link to the illustration.

Two conducting wires with electron currents $$\class{blue}{\boldsymbol{I}_1}$$ and $$\class{blue}{\boldsymbol{I}_2}$$ in the same directions. Both currents generate a magnetic field in the whole surrounding space.

• The first wire generates a magnetic field $$\class{violet}{\boldsymbol{B}_1}$$ at the location of the second wire and - according to the left-hand rule - $$\class{violet}{\boldsymbol{B}_1}$$ points out of the screen. The second wire experiences a Lorentz force $$\class{green}{\boldsymbol{F}_2}$$ to the left - towards the first wire.
• The second wire generates with its current in the same direction, a magnetic field $$\class{violet}{\boldsymbol{B}_2}$$ at the location of the first wire. $$\class{violet}{\boldsymbol{B}_2}$$ points into the screen. According to the right-hand rule, the first wire experiences a Lorentz force $$\class{green}{\boldsymbol{F}_1}$$ to the right - towards the second wire.

The two wires attract each other!