- #1
danago
Gold Member
- 1,123
- 4
Hi. I am having a little trouble grasping the concept of a magnetic field. My book doesn't explain it very well.
I understand that any magnet has a magnetic field, which is the space around it in which other magnets are subject to a force due to the magnet.
What I am having trouble with is concepts of magnetic flux and magnetic flux density. From what I've read, magnetic flux density is a number of field lines per unit area (where the field lines are perpendicular to the area). What I am not understanding is how a number can be assigned for the number of field lines passing through an area. I thought the idea of field lines were invoked for the simplicity in graphically representing magnetic fields. I would have though that in an actual magnetic field, the number of actual field lines would be infinite for any given area.
Is somebody able to clear up this misconception?
Thanks in advance,
Dan.
I understand that any magnet has a magnetic field, which is the space around it in which other magnets are subject to a force due to the magnet.
What I am having trouble with is concepts of magnetic flux and magnetic flux density. From what I've read, magnetic flux density is a number of field lines per unit area (where the field lines are perpendicular to the area). What I am not understanding is how a number can be assigned for the number of field lines passing through an area. I thought the idea of field lines were invoked for the simplicity in graphically representing magnetic fields. I would have though that in an actual magnetic field, the number of actual field lines would be infinite for any given area.
Is somebody able to clear up this misconception?
Thanks in advance,
Dan.