magnetic dipole

magnetic dipole
Tiny magnet with subatomic dimensions, equivalent to the flow of electric charge around a loop.

Examples include electrons circulating around atomic nuclei, rotating atomic nuclei, and single subatomic particles with spin. On a large scale, these effects may add together, as in iron atoms, to make magnetic compass needles and bar magnets, which are macroscopic magnetic dipoles. The strength of a magnetic dipole, its magnetic moment, is a measure of its ability to turn itself into alignment with a given external magnetic field. When free to rotate, dipoles align themselves so that their moments point predominantly in the direction of the magnetic field. The SI unit for dipole moment is the ampere-square metre.

* * *

      generally a tiny magnet of microscopic to subatomic dimensions, equivalent to a flow of electric charge around a loop. Electrons circulating around atomic nuclei, electrons spinning on their axes, and rotating positively charged atomic nuclei all are magnetic (magnetic pole) dipoles. The sum of these effects may cancel so that a given type of atom may not be a magnetic dipole. If they do not fully cancel, the atom is a permanent magnetic dipole, as are iron atoms. Many millions of iron atoms spontaneously locked into the same alignment to form a ferromagnetic domain also constitute a magnetic dipole. Magnetic compass needles and bar magnets are examples of macroscopic magnetic dipoles.

      The strength of a magnetic dipole, called the magnetic dipole moment, may be thought of as a measure of a dipole's ability to turn itself into alignment with a given external magnetic field. In a uniform magnetic field, the magnitude of the dipole moment is proportional to the maximum amount of torque on the dipole, which occurs when the dipole is at right angles to the magnetic field. The magnetic dipole moment, often simply called the magnetic moment, may be defined then as the maximum amount of torque caused by magnetic force on a dipole that arises per unit value of surrounding magnetic field in vacuum.

 When a magnetic dipole is considered as a current loop, the magnitude of the dipole moment is proportional to the current multiplied by the size of the enclosed area. The direction of the dipole moment, which may be represented mathematically as a vector, is perpendicularly away from the side of the surface enclosed by the counterclockwise path of positive charge flow. Considering the current loop as a tiny magnet, this vector corresponds to the direction from the south to the north pole. When free to rotate, dipoles align themselves so that their moments point predominantly in the direction of the external magnetic field. Nuclear and electron magnetic moments are quantized, which means that they may be oriented in space at only certain discrete angles with respect to the direction of the external field.

      Magnetic dipole moments have dimensions of current times area or energy divided by magnetic flux density. In the metre–kilogram– second–ampere and SI systems, the specific unit for dipole moment is ampere-square metre. In the centimetre–gram–second electromagnetic system, the unit is the erg (unit of energy) per gauss (unit of magnetic flux density). One thousand ergs per gauss equal one ampere-square metre. A convenient unit for the magnetic dipole moment of electrons is the Bohr magneton (equivalent to 9.273 × 10-24 ampere–square metre). A similar unit for magnetic moments of nuclei, protons, and neutrons is the nuclear magneton (equivalent to 5.051 × 10-27 ampere-square metre).

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • magnetic dipole — n. A dipole with opposing magnetic poles. [WordNet 1.5] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Magnetic dipole — A magnetic dipole is the limit of either a closed loop of electric current or a pair of poles as the dimensions of the source are reduced to zero while keeping the magnetic moment constant. It is a magnetic analogue of the electric dipole, but… …   Wikipedia

  • magnetic dipole — magnetinis dipolis statusas T sritis Standartizacija ir metrologija apibrėžtis Elektros srovė, tekanti uždaru kontūru, kurio matmenys daug mažesni už atstumą tarp kontūro ir nagrinėjamojo srovės magnetinio lauko taško. atitikmenys: angl. magnetic …   Penkiakalbis aiškinamasis metrologijos terminų žodynas

  • magnetic dipole — magnetinis dipolis statusas T sritis fizika atitikmenys: angl. magnetic dipole vok. magnetischer Dipol, m rus. магнитный диполь, m pranc. dipôle magnétique, m …   Fizikos terminų žodynas

  • Magnetic dipole–dipole interaction — Magnetic dipole–dipole interaction, also called dipolar coupling, refers to the direct interaction between two magnetic dipoles. The potential energy of the interaction is as follows: where ejk is a unit vector parallel to the line joining the… …   Wikipedia

  • Magnetic dipole-dipole interaction — Magnetic dipole dipole interaction, also called dipolar coupling, refers to the direct interaction between two magnetic dipoles. The energy of the interaction is as follows:: old{H} = frac{ mu 0 } {4 pi r {jk}^3 } left( 3 (old{m} j cdot old{e} …   Wikipedia

  • magnetic dipole moment — n. A physical quantity associated with the magnetic field of a dundamental particle; as, An orbiting electron in an atom will have a magnetic dipole moment. [WordNet 1.5] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Magnetic dipole transition — The interaction of an electromagnetic wave with an electron bound in an atom or molecule can be described by time dependent perturbation theory. Magnetic dipole transitions describe the dominant effect of the coupling to the magnetic part of the… …   Wikipedia

  • magnetic dipole moment — noun (physics) a current loop gives rise to a magnetic field characteristic of a magnetic dipole An orbiting electron in an atom will have a magnetic dipole moment • Topics: ↑physics, ↑natural philosophy • Hypernyms: ↑dipole moment …   Useful english dictionary

  • magnetic dipole moment — magnetinis dipolinis momentas statusas T sritis fizika atitikmenys: angl. magnetic dipole moment vok. magnetisches Dipolmoment, n rus. магнитный дипольный момент, m pranc. moment de dipôle magnétique, m; moment dipolaire magnétique, m; moment… …   Fizikos terminų žodynas

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”