What is the Difference Between Magnetic Permeability and Susceptibility?

Magnetic permeability and susceptibility are quantitative measures of magnetic properties of materials. The key difference between them lies in their definitions and applications:

• Magnetic Permeability: This is a measure of the ability of a material to support a magnetic field. It is given by the SI unit Henries per meter (H/m or H·m−1) and is a scalar quantity represented by the symbol 'μ'. Magnetic permeability is related to the net magnetic field, which is the result of the applied magnetic field and the induced magnetic field.
• Magnetic Susceptibility: This is a measure of how readily materials tend to get magnetized when exposed to a magnetic field. Magnetic susceptibility is a dimensionless property, indicating whether a material is diamagnetic, paramagnetic, or ferromagnetic. Diamagnetic materials have a small negative susceptibility, paramagnets have a small positive susceptibility, and ferromagnets have a large positive susceptibility. Magnetic susceptibility is related to the induced magnetic field, which is the magnetic field generated in the material due to an applied magnetic field.

In summary, magnetic permeability is concerned with the net magnetic field, while magnetic susceptibility is concerned with the induced magnetic field. Magnetic permeability is a scalar quantity with units of H/m, whereas magnetic susceptibility is a dimensionless property.

Comparative Table: Magnetic Permeability vs Susceptibility

Magnetic permeability and magnetic susceptibility are both properties of materials related to their response to magnetic fields. Here is a table summarizing the differences between them:

Magnetic permeability is typically represented by the Greek letter μ and is given in units of Henries per meter (H/m) or equivalently in Newtons per ampere squared (N/A²). Magnetic susceptibility, on the other hand, is a dimensionless property of materials.

The key difference between magnetic permeability and susceptibility is that magnetic permeability is a measure of the net magnetic field, while magnetic susceptibility is a measure of the induced magnetic field. Some materials, such as paramagnetic materials, have a magnetic susceptibility greater than zero, indicating that they are attracted to magnetic fields, while diamagnetic materials have a value less than zero, indicating that they repel magnetic fields.