The unit of magnetic permeability is a. Henry/meter b. Siemens/meter c. Ohms/meter d. Volts/meter
The correct answer and explanation is:
Correct Answer: a. Henry/meter
Magnetic permeability is a physical quantity that measures the ability of a material to support the formation of a magnetic field within itself. It is a measure of how easily a magnetic field can pass through a material. The higher the permeability of a material, the more easily it can become magnetized when exposed to a magnetic field.
The standard unit of magnetic permeability in the International System of Units (SI) is Henry per meter (H/m). This unit is derived from the base SI units. One henry is defined as the unit of inductance, and it can be expressed as:
1 H = 1 (kg·m²)/(s²·A²)
When divided by meters, the permeability unit becomes:
H/m = (kg·m)/(s²·A²)
This unit helps quantify how a material reacts to a magnetic field. Vacuum or free space has a defined magnetic permeability known as the permeability of free space, denoted by μ₀. Its value is approximately 4π × 10⁻⁷ H/m. Most materials will have a permeability relative to this value, referred to as relative permeability (μr), which is dimensionless.
Materials are often categorized based on their magnetic permeability. Ferromagnetic materials, such as iron, cobalt, and nickel, have very high permeability values. These materials can concentrate magnetic field lines and are used in the cores of transformers and electromagnets. In contrast, diamagnetic and paramagnetic materials have low permeability and are not as effective in conducting magnetic fields.
Understanding permeability is essential in electromagnetism and electrical engineering. It plays a key role in the design of inductors, transformers, magnetic shielding, and various components in communication and power systems. Without accurate knowledge of permeability, designing efficient electromagnetic systems would not be possible.