
Inductance is a fundamental property of electrical circuits, which is defined as the ratio of the induced voltage to the rate of change of the current causing it. It is denoted by the symbol 'L' and measured in Henrys (H), named after the 19th-century physicist Joseph Henry. Inductance is caused by the magnetic field generated by electric currents flowing within a circuit, and it tends to oppose any changes in the electric current. The inductance of a circuit depends on factors such as the geometry of the circuit, the presence of nearby materials, and the number of turns in a coil. This property plays a crucial role in various applications, including transformers, generators, and electric motors.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | Inductance is the tendency of an electrical conductor to oppose a change in the electric current flowing through it. |
| Discovery | Michael Faraday discovered electromagnetic inductance in 1831. |
| Symbol | L is used to represent inductance. |
| Unit | The unit of inductance is the Henry (H), named after Joseph Henry. |
| Value of 1 Henry | 1 Henry is the amount of inductance that causes a voltage of one volt when the current is changing at a rate of one ampere per second. |
| Inductance in Coils | Inductance is greater in shorter coils. |
| Inductance in Straight Wires | Straight wires have inductance but it is lower than in coils. |
| Self-Inductance | Self-inductance is the property of a circuit, often a coil, whereby a change in current causes a change in voltage in the same circuit. |
| Mutual Inductance | Mutual inductance is when a change in current in one circuit causes a change in voltage in a second circuit. |
| Use in Transformers | Inductance is used in transformers to change the voltage of electricity. |
| Use in Generators | Inductance is used in generators. |
| Use in Electric Motors | Inductance is used in electric motors. |
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What You'll Learn
- Inductance is the tendency of an electrical conductor to oppose a change in the electric current flowing through it
- Inductance is caused by the magnetic field generated by electric currents flowing within an electrical circuit
- The unit of inductance is the Henry, named after 19th-century physicist Joseph Henry
- Inductance depends on the size and shape of a conductor, the number of turns if it is a coil, and the kind of material nearby
- Self-inductance is the property of a circuit, often a coil, whereby a change in current causes a change in voltage in the same circuit

Inductance is the tendency of an electrical conductor to oppose a change in the electric current flowing through it
When an electric current flows through a conductor, a magnetic field is produced around it. The strength of the magnetic field depends on the magnitude of the electric current. A varying current results in a varying magnetic field. This change in the magnetic field induces an EMF in the circuit, which opposes the change in the current. This is known as electromagnetic induction.
The unit of magnetic inductance is the Henry, named after 19th-century physicist Joseph Henry, who first recognised the phenomenon of self-induction. One Henry is defined as the amount of inductance required to produce an EMF of one volt in a conductor when the current changes at a rate of one ampere per second.
The inductance of a circuit depends on the geometry of the current path and the magnetic permeability of nearby materials. The inductance of a coil can be increased by placing a ferromagnetic core inside it, which increases the magnetic flux. The number of turns in the coil and the coil's area also affect inductance, with more turns and a larger area resulting in greater inductance.
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Inductance is caused by the magnetic field generated by electric currents flowing within an electrical circuit
Inductance is a property of an electric circuit. It is caused by the magnetic field generated by electric currents flowing within an electrical circuit. This phenomenon is called self-induction, and the quotient of the induced electromotive force and the rate of change of the current is specified as self-inductance.
When an electric current flows through a conductor, a magnetic field is produced surrounding it. The strength of the magnetic field depends on the magnitude of the current. A varying current results in a varying magnetic field. The magnetic flux varies, and an electromotive force is induced in the circuit. The size of the induced electromotive force is proportional to the rate of change of the electric current. The proportionality factor is called the inductance.
Inductance is defined as the ratio of the induced voltage to the rate of change of current causing it. It is a proportionality constant that depends on the geometry of the circuit conductors and the magnetic permeability of the conductor and nearby materials. The unit of magnetic inductance is the Henry, named after the 19th-century American physicist Joseph Henry, who first recognized the phenomenon of self-induction. One Henry is equivalent to one volt divided by one ampere per second.
The inductance of a circuit can be increased by placing a magnetic core of ferromagnetic material in the hole in the centre. The magnetic field of the coil magnetizes the material of the core, aligning its magnetic domains, and the magnetic field of the core adds to that of the coil, increasing the flux through the coil. This is called a ferromagnetic core inductor.
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The unit of inductance is the Henry, named after 19th-century physicist Joseph Henry
Inductance is the tendency of an electrical conductor to oppose a change in the electric current flowing through it. It is a property of a conductor or circuit, due to its magnetic field, which tends to oppose changes in the current through the circuit. The unit of inductance in the International System of Units (SI) is the Henry, named after 19th-century physicist Joseph Henry.
The symbol for Henry is 'H'. One Henry is defined as the amount of inductance required to produce an electromotive force (EMF) of 1 volt in a conductor when the current change in the conductor is at the rate of 1 Ampere per second. In other words, it is the amount of inductance that causes a voltage of one volt when the current is changing at a rate of one ampere per second.
The unit is named after Joseph Henry (1797-1878), an American scientist who discovered electromagnetic induction independently of and at about the same time as Michael Faraday in 1831. The term inductance was coined by Oliver Heaviside in May 1884, as a convenient way to refer to the "coefficient of self-induction".
Henry is a large unit of inductance and is used less frequently. Smaller units such as millihenry (mH) or microhenry are also used, especially to measure radio frequency and audio-frequency ranges. The United States National Institute of Standards and Technology recommends that the plural of Henry be spelt as 'henries'.
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Inductance depends on the size and shape of a conductor, the number of turns if it is a coil, and the kind of material nearby
Inductance is the tendency of an electrical conductor to oppose a change in the electric current flowing through it. The electric current produces a magnetic field around the conductor, and the strength of this field depends on the magnitude of the current. The generated magnetic field follows any changes in the current.
Inductance depends on the size and shape of a given conductor, the number of turns if it is a coil, and the kind of material nearby. The number of turns of wire in a coil directly impacts the amount of magnetic field force generated for a given amount of coil current. More turns of wire mean a greater amount of magnetic field force, and therefore, greater inductance.
The coil's area also impacts inductance. A greater coil area presents less opposition to the formation of a magnetic field flux for a given amount of field force, resulting in greater inductance. Similarly, the longer the coil's length, the lesser the inductance.
The type of material nearby also influences inductance. Ferromagnetic materials with higher permeability, such as iron, tend to increase the magnetic field and inductance. A coil wound on an iron core can more effectively choke the increase of a current compared to the same coil with an air core. The iron core increases the inductance by creating a greater opposing electromotive force (back emf) for the same rate of change of the current in the coil.
In summary, the size, shape, and number of turns of a conductor, as well as the type of material nearby, are critical factors in determining inductance, which is the electrical conductor's ability to resist changes in electric current.
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Self-inductance is the property of a circuit, often a coil, whereby a change in current causes a change in voltage in the same circuit
Inductance is the tendency of an electrical conductor to oppose a change in the electric current flowing through it. It is defined as the ratio of the induced voltage to the rate of change of current causing it. The property of self-inductance is a particular form of electromagnetic induction.
The self-inductance of a coil depends on its length, the number of turns, the area of its cross-section, and the permeability of the material of its core. The shorter the coil's length, the greater the inductance. The number of turns in the coil also affects inductance; the greater the number of turns, the greater the inductance.
The unit of magnetic inductance is the Henry, named after 19th-century American physicist Joseph Henry, who first recognised the phenomenon of self-induction. One Henry is defined as the amount of inductance required to produce an EMF of one volt in a conductor when the current changes at a rate of one ampere per second.
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Frequently asked questions
Inductance is the tendency of an electrical conductor to oppose a change in the electric current flowing through it. The electric current produces a magnetic field around the conductor. The strength of the field depends on the magnitude of the current.
The unit of inductance is the Henry, named after 19th-century American physicist Joseph Henry, who first recognised the phenomenon of self-induction. One Henry is equivalent to one volt divided by one ampere per second.
Inductance is calculated as the ratio of the induced voltage to the rate of change of the current causing it. It is a proportionality constant that depends on the geometry of the circuit conductors and the magnetic permeability of the conductor and nearby materials.
Self-inductance is the property of a circuit, often a coil, whereby a change in current causes a change in voltage in that same circuit due to the magnetic effect of the current flow. This change in voltage is called "back EMF" and it opposes the change in current that brought it about.










































