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Does each language have "lefty loosey righty tighty"? (lemmy.world)

submitted 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) by vatlark@lemmy.world to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

311 comments fedilink hide all child comments

The world has a lot of different standards for a lot of things, but I have never heard of a place with the default screw thread direction being opposite.

So does each language have a fun mnemonic?

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[–] wuphysics87@lemmy.ml 37 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (3 children)

The Right Hand Rule (RHR). Point the thumb of your right hand in the direction you want something to go. Curl your fingers. That is the direction of rotation. Translate to any language which has hands.

[–] arefx@lemmy.ml 11 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I guess I'm an idiot because I don't understand lmao

[–] isyasad@lemmy.world 12 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Your thumb is an arrow pointing at where you want the screw to go. After you curl your fingers, your fingers are arrows showing the direction to turn the screw

[–] Instigate@aussie.zone 6 points 2 months ago (1 children)

We were taught a similar trick in physics - point your right-hand thumb in the direction that current (or electrons, same same) is travelling and the curling of your fingers shows the direction of the resultant magnetic field that the current creates.

[–] wuphysics87@lemmy.ml 2 points 2 months ago

I teach physics. A prof of mine taught me the right hand rule applies to right handed bolts. No accident they are named that. I teach this to students now. Maybe 1 in 10 like it. The rest prefer their old rhyme. Oh well. Can't say I didn't try

[–] arefx@lemmy.ml 3 points 2 months ago

Got it!

[–] Today@lemmy.world 3 points 2 months ago

I know how to turn a wrench. Knowing the direction is the difficult part. Especially on toilets.

[–] sunstoned@lemmus.org 1 points 2 months ago (1 children)

The only thing I don't like about this is the implication of a left hand rule for left hand threads, which makes my E&M physics brain sad

[–] wuphysics87@lemmy.ml 1 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Multliply bu -1. Same as with negative charge

[–] sunstoned@lemmus.org 1 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Right, for a paper physics problem. Try telling someone to multiply their hand by -1.

[–] wuphysics87@lemmy.ml 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Flip your hand over

[–] sunstoned@lemmus.org 1 points 2 months ago

pysic