Written by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 examโขWritten by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Definition
The Biot-Savart law is an equation that describes how an infinitesimal current element produces a magnetic field at any given point in space. It provides a way to calculate the magnitude and direction of this magnetic field.
Related terms
Lorentz Force Law: The Lorentz force law describes how charged particles experience both electric and magnetic forces when moving through electromagnetic fields.
Gauss's Law for Magnetism: Gauss's law for magnetism states that there are no isolated north or south poles; every magnet has both poles.