The original post: /r/askscience by /u/MetalTop169 on 2024-11-14 14:22:50.

Take two parallel wires with current in both wires flowing in the same direction. Eschewing a mathematical treatment, simply apply the right hand rule. The magnetic field lines between the wires will be in opposing directions and, if I understand correctly, cancel out. Push the wires together in a coil and apparently the magnetic fields constructively interfere, creating a magnet out of the coil with a north pole and south pole at the coil terminals. How do we account for this? What am I misunderstanding?