Magnetic flux (and flux in general)

In summary, the flux definition states that the total magnetic field which passes through a given area. Khanacademy says that the flux is a measurement of the force which is pushing in the direction of the infinitesimal surface and keeping in mind the definition given before, it seems much logical to me to use this equation to find the direction of the force. However, I believe that when I'm thinking that we're kind of distributing the force over that ##|\mathbf{dS}|## we'll be loosing "strength", ##|\mathbf{B}|*0.00000000...1##.
  • #1
archaic
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The general interpretation of flux as I understand it (and please correct me if I'm wrong) is that it represents how much something is going through another (surface or volume (and perhaps lines?)), I'll quote Khanacademy :

Considering that magnetism is a force, I very well understand that we only want the force that is pushing in the direction of the infinitesimal surface and keeping in mind the definition given before, it seems much logical to me to use this :
$$\iint_S \frac{\mathbf{B}\cdot\mathbf{dS}}{|\mathbf{dS}|}$$
We find the direction with the dot product but take off the surface and then we sum up the force. I probably am misunderstanding the flux definition and hope someone would have the kindness to clear this up.
I understand this integral can't be done since we no more have an infinitesimal to integrate with respect to it, but I think you see what I want to say through it.

My problem with this is that when I'm thinking that we're kind of distributing the force over that ##|\mathbf{dS}|## we'll be loosing "strength", ##|\mathbf{B}|*0.00000000...1##, I hope you're getting what I mean.

Thank you for your time!
 
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  • #2
archaic said:
loosing "strength"
doesn't occur because of the integration: look what you get when ##\bf B## is constant and can be taken out in front of the integral
 
  • #3
BvU said:
doesn't occur because of the integration: look what you get when ##\bf B## is constant and can be taken out in front of the integral
That would be ##|\mathbf{B}| \iint |\mathbf{dS}|(\hat{\mathbf u}\cdot\hat{\mathbf n})##, I can't see what you wanted to show me though, please do elaborate more.

I got it however, I was thinking wrong from the beginning by ignoring the units, a fractional number of surface would still actually represent something because of the meaning of a square meter which is a finite quantity (a collection of points dare I say) and thus fractions of it are still finite quantities (##n\to\infty\in \mathbb{N}## points forming an area) have escaped my thought, we are actually adding the strength "##n## times", I was blind to the unit.
 
Last edited:
  • #4
What I meant is that the 0.00000000...1 may seem small, but there are 100000000... of them !
 
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  • #5
Can I look at your mph model file? I am also doing magnetic flux leakage detection.
 
  • #6
Georgetown said:
Can I look at your mph model file? I am also doing magnetic flux leakage detection.
Sorry, this was but a conceptual question, I am not doing any research.
 

1. What is magnetic flux?

Magnetic flux is a measure of the amount of magnetic field passing through a given area. It is represented by the symbol Φ and is measured in units of webers (Wb).

2. How is magnetic flux calculated?

Magnetic flux is calculated by multiplying the strength of the magnetic field (B) by the area (A) that it passes through, at a perpendicular angle. The formula for magnetic flux is Φ = B x A.

3. What is the difference between magnetic flux and electric flux?

Magnetic flux is a measure of the amount of magnetic field passing through a given area, while electric flux is a measure of the amount of electric field passing through a given area. They are both measured in units of webers (Wb), but they represent different types of fields.

4. What factors affect magnetic flux?

The strength of the magnetic field, the size of the area it passes through, and the angle at which it passes through the area all affect magnetic flux. Additionally, the permeability of the material the field passes through can also impact magnetic flux.

5. How is magnetic flux used in practical applications?

Magnetic flux is used in a variety of applications, including electric motors, generators, and transformers. It is also used in magnetic levitation systems and magnetic data storage devices. Understanding and controlling magnetic flux is essential in many technological advancements.

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