Electrical Engineering XYZ MCQs
Which of following is a vector quantity:
- Magnetic potential
- Relative permeability
- Magnetic field intensity
- Flux density
Correct answer: 3. Magnetic field intensity
Explanation:
- Magnetic potential: Magnetic potential is a scalar quantity. It represents the magnetic potential energy per unit magnetic charge. Since it only has magnitude and no direction associated with it, it’s a scalar quantity.
- Relative permeability: Relative permeability is also a scalar quantity. It describes how much a material can be magnetized in the presence of an external magnetic field, compared to a vacuum. Like magnetic potential, it doesn’t have directionality, so it’s a scalar.
- Magnetic field intensity: Magnetic field intensity (often denoted by H) is a vector quantity. It represents the strength and direction of the magnetic field at a particular point in space. As it has both magnitude and direction, it qualifies as a vector quantity.
- Flux density: Flux density (often denoted by B) is also a vector quantity. It represents the density of magnetic flux lines passing through a given area. Similar to magnetic field intensity, it has both magnitude and direction, making it a vector quantity.
So, the key differentiator here is that both magnetic field intensity and flux density are vector quantities because they have both magnitude and direction, whereas magnetic potential and relative permeability are scalar quantities lacking directionality.