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Magnetic Permeability

Definition

Magnetic permeability is a measure of how easily a material can be magnetized by an external magnetic field. It quantifies the ability of a material to allow magnetic lines of force to pass through it.

Analogy

Think of magnetic permeability as the "magnetizability" of a material, similar to how stretchy or elastic a fabric is. Just like some fabrics are more stretchy and allow you to pull them apart easily, materials with high magnetic permeability allow magnetic fields to pass through them more readily.

Related terms

Permeability of Free Space: This term refers to the value of magnetic permeability in a vacuum or free space, which is denoted by μ₀ (mu naught). It has a constant value and serves as a reference point for comparing the permeabilities of other materials.

Magnetic Dipole Moment: The magnetic dipole moment is a measure of the strength and orientation of an object's magnetism. It represents the product of the pole strength and distance between poles in an object that behaves like a magnet.

Ferromagnetism: Ferromagnetism is a property exhibited by certain materials where they can become strongly magnetized when exposed to an external magnetic field. These materials have high values of magnetic permeability and retain their magnetization even after removing the external field.