Inductors

ELECTRONERD

Joined May 26, 2009
1,147
How much potential energy is stored in a 5 μ H inductor that has a current of 2 ma flowing through it?
Potential energy? I'm not accustomed to that term, I suppose you mean reactance? Then according to the equation:

\(XL = 2 \pi f L\)







Where:
  • \(f\) = Frequency
  • \(\pi\) = Pi, or approximately 3.14
  • \(L\) = Inductor value.
So, we can't really determine the reactance unless we know the frequency.
 
Last edited:

hgmjr

Joined Jan 28, 2005
9,027
To put ATM's equation into math symbol notation:

\(E_{\tiny L} =\frac{LI^2}{2}\)

The corresponding equation for capacitors is:


\(E_{\tiny C}=\frac{CV^2}{2}\)


hgmjr
 

Thav

Joined Oct 13, 2009
82
potential energy is an unfancy word for voltage

I don't think this is quite right. Energy is always referring to Joules (J), whereas voltage (or electric potential) is Joules per Coulomb J/C. This has always been a hazy subject for me, but what I think is that if you take an electron (1.6...E-19 Coulombs) and find its potential energy at one point in an electric field with respect to another point and then divide by the charge (that 1.6E-19) you get the voltage. So like the units hint we're talking about a potential energy per charge.

I'm being a little pedantic, but I feel voltage is such a difficult concept it's important to get the terminology straight to not obscure the physical basis.
 

ELECTRONERD

Joined May 26, 2009
1,147
I don't think this is quite right. Energy is always referring to Joules (J), whereas voltage (or electric potential) is Joules per Coulomb J/C. This has always been a hazy subject for me, but what I think is that if you take an electron (1.6...E-19 Coulombs) and find its potential energy at one point in an electric field with respect to another point and then divide by the charge (that 1.6E-19) you get the voltage. So like the units hint we're talking about a potential energy per charge.

I'm being a little pedantic, but I feel voltage is such a difficult concept it's important to get the terminology straight to not obscure the physical basis.
In any case, potential energy is still denoted as "voltage", used by many. Even teachers use the termination in universities, and I've heard it a lot in the "self teaching" electronic guides.

People can think of the relationship between voltage, current, and resistance as the following:

Imagine a water pipe. More pressure will result in a higher potential of energy coming out; better known as voltage. The higher the pressure, the higher the potential. If we widen the pipe, we get more current. However, if we put a resistor in the pipe, it would lessen the current. That's how I've always found the relationships for ohms law.
 

Ratch

Joined Mar 20, 2007
1,070
notxjack,

potential energy is an unfancy word for voltage
Not true. See the first post of the link below.

Thav,

I'm being a little pedantic, but I feel voltage is such a difficult concept it's important to get the terminology straight to not obscure the physical basis.
Good for you. You are a "right thinker".

ELECTRONERD,

Imagine a water pipe. More pressure will result in a higher potential of energy coming out; better known as voltage. The higher the pressure, the higher the potential. If we widen the pipe, we get more current. However, if we put a resistor in the pipe, it would lessen the current. That's how I've always found the relationships for ohms law.
Why not "imagine" it the way it really is? As explained in the first post of the link below.

Ratch

http://forum.allaboutcircuits.com/showthread.php?t=11579&highlight=treatise+voltage
 

notxjack

Joined Sep 7, 2009
20
I don't think this is quite right. Energy is always referring to Joules (J), whereas voltage (or electric potential) is Joules per Coulomb J/C. This has always been a hazy subject for me, but what I think is that if you take an electron (1.6...E-19 Coulombs) and find its potential energy at one point in an electric field with respect to another point and then divide by the charge (that 1.6E-19) you get the voltage. So like the units hint we're talking about a potential energy per charge.

I'm being a little pedantic, but I feel voltage is such a difficult concept it's important to get the terminology straight to not obscure the physical basis.
Yeah, my bad. Integrate work to get the 1/2 mv^2 dual for inductors, which I think is 1/2 LI^2
 
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