Direction of H Field Lines: North to South or South to North?

[lavster]

does the H field lines go from north to south, or south to north?

thanks

 

[Meir Achuz]

The H field lines go from the N of a magnet to the S.

 

[lavster]

thanks! that's what i would have guessed. :) so what does this statement on wikipedia mean? is it wrong?

"Outside a magnet H-field lines are identical to B-field lines, but inside they point in opposite directions. Whether inside or out of a magnet, H-field lines start near the S pole and end near the N."

cheers

 

[Meir Achuz]

They probably don't mean the direction of the field.

 

[Vanadium 50]

B = H + M, right? Lines of B can never begin or end, and M is uniform inside the magnet and 0 outside. What does that tell us about H?

 

[lavster]

ah right kl :) so the field lines are the same out side as the B field but inside the field lines would be further apart as M is in the opposite direction.
cheers