Magnetic scalar potential

Magnetic scalar potential, ψ, is a quantity in <a href="/facts/Classical_electromagnetism/vK0YI6dj">classical electromagnetism</a> analogous to <a href="/facts/Electric_potential/Nmqm6hm5">electric potential</a>. It is used to specify the <a href="/facts/Magnetic_field/Ta8Ev588">magnetic H-field</a> in cases when there are no <a href="/facts/Free_current/zxrtXzTN">free currents</a>, in a manner analogous to using the electric potential to determine the electric field in <a href="/facts/Electrostatics/bxkuW6s4">electrostatics</a>. One important use of ψ is to determine the magnetic field due to <a href="/facts/Magnet/vvrg6VSk">permanent magnets</a> when their <a href="/facts/Magnetization/zxrtXzTN">magnetization</a> is known. The potential is valid in any <a href="/facts/Simply_connected/xFlta63J">simply connected</a> region with zero <a href="/facts/Current_density/IlUKSe2B">current density</a>, thus if currents are confined to wires or surfaces, piecemeal solutions can be stitched together to provide a description of the magnetic field at all points in space.

Magnetic scalar potential open-in-new

Magnetic scalar potential