What is permeability?
Q: What is permeability?
A: Permeability is a property of a material that describes how dense a magnetic field would be if the same amount of current was passed through it.
Q: How is permeability measured?
A: Permeability is measured in henries per metre (H/m) and its symbol is μ.
Q: What is the constant permeability of empty space called?
A: The constant permeability of empty space is called the permeability of free space or μ0.
Q: How do we measure relative permeability?
A: Relative permeability can be calculated by dividing the material's permeability by the permeabilty of free space (μr = μ/μ0).
Q: Are there materials with higher than normal relative permeabilities?
A: Yes, some materials are ferromagnetic and have much higher relative permabilities than other materials, such as iron (5000) and nickel (600). Additionally, some materials have been specially designed to have a relative permiability one million times larger than empty space.
Q: Is it necessary to consider material's specific permiability when calculating magnetic fields?
A: No, for most materials their permiability will be close enough to 1 that it can be ignored and the permiability of free space can be used instead.
