Magnetomotive force

In physics, the magnetomotive force (abbreviated mmf or MMF, symbol ) is a quantity appearing in the equation for the magnetic flux in a magnetic circuit, Hopkinson's law.[1] It is the property of certain substances or phenomena that give rise to magnetic fields:

where Φ is the magnetic flux and is the reluctance of the circuit. It can be seen that the magnetomotive force plays a role in this equation analogous to the voltage V in Ohm's law, V = IR, since it is the cause of magnetic flux in a magnetic circuit:[2]

  1. where N is the number of turns in a coil and I is the electric current through the coil.
  2. where Φ is the magnetic flux and is the magnetic reluctance
  3. where H is the magnetizing force (the strength of the magnetizing field) and L is the mean length of a solenoid or the circumference of a toroid.
  1. ^ Waygood, p. 137
  2. ^ Smith, pp. 495–506