Hawkins Electrical Guide v. 01 (of 10) / Questions, Answers, & Illustrations, A progressive course of study for engineers, electricians, students and those desiring to acquire a working knowledge of electricity and its applications

by N. Hawkins

Magnetic Circuit.—The path taken by magnetic lines of force is called a magnetic circuit; the greater part of such a circuit is usually in magnetic material, but there are often one or more air gaps included. The total number of lines of force in the circuit is known as the magnetic flux.

Ques. How is magnetic flux measured?

Ans. By a unit called the maxwell.

Named after James Clerk Maxwell the Scottish physicist.

Ques. What is the maxwell?

Ans. The amount of magnetism passing through every square centimetre of a field of unit density.

Ques. What is the unit of field strength?

Ans. The gauss.

Ques. What is a gauss?

Ans. The intensity of field which acts on a unit pole with a force of one dyne. It is equal to one line of force per square centimetre. Named after Karl Friedrich Gauss, the German mathematician.