Magnetic flux

Magnetic flux is a measure of the magnetic field lines passing through a surface, such as a loop of wire.^[1] The magnetic flux through a closed surface such as a sphere is always zero, because the magnetic field lines going into the closed surface are balanced by field lines coming out.^[2]

It is the alignment of electrons in the atomic shells of ferromagnets and the “spinning” electrons in electromagnets, that provides a material with it’s magnetism.^[3]

The SI unit of magnetic flux is the Weber (Wb; in derived units, volt-seconds). The CGS unit is the Maxwell.

Magnetic flux is sometimes used by electrical engineers designing systems with electromagnets or designing dynamos. Physicists designing particle accelerators also calculate magnetic flux.

Related pages

• Magnetic field
• James Clerk Maxwell demonstrated that electric and magnetic forces are two complementary aspects of electromagnetism.
• Maxwell's equations describe the behavior of both the electric and magnetic fields, as well as their interactions with matter.
• Gauss's law gives the relation between the electric flux flowing out a closed surface and the electric charge enclosed in the surface.
• Magnetic circuit is a method using an analogy with electric circuits to calculate the flux of complex systems of magnetic components.
• Magnetic mono pole is a hypothetical particle that may be loosely described as "a magnet with only one pole".
• Magnetic flux quantum is the quantum of magnetic flux passing through a superconductor.
• Carl Friedrich Gauss developed a collaboration with Wilhelm Eduard Weber which led to new knowledge in the field of magnetism.