Definition:
- An inductor is an electronic component that stores energy in the form of a magnetic field when electrical current flows through it. It typically consists of a coil of wire, often wrapped around a core made of a magnetic material (such as iron or ferrite) or air.
- The inductor resists changes in the current flowing through it, due to the magnetic field created around the coil.
What is a magnetic field?
- A magnetic field is a region of space around a magnet, electric current, or changing electric field, where magnetic forces can be detected, and magnetic objects experience a force.
- When an electrical current passes through the coil, a magnetic field is generated around it. If the current changes (either increases or decreases), the magnetic field also changes, which induces a voltage (electromotive force, or EMF) in the coil that opposes the change in current. This property is known as inductance.
What is Inductance?
- Inductance is a measure of an inductor’s ability to oppose changes in current and store energy in its magnetic field. It quantifies how much voltage is induced in the coil for a given rate of change of current. The greater the inductance, the stronger the opposition to changes in current.
Unit: The inductance is measured in henries (H). One henry (H) is the amount of inductance required to induce one volt (V) of electromotive force (EMF) in a coil when the current through it changes at a rate of one ampere (A) per second.
- Inductance is typically much smaller in practical applications, often measured in millihenries (mH) or microhenries (µH).