12.1.C—Describe the magnetic permeability of a material

Describe the magnetic permeability of a material.

• Magnetic permeability is a measurement of the amount of magnetization in a material in response to an external magnetic field.
• Free space has a constant value of magnetic permeability, known as the vacuum permeability µ0, that appears in equations representing physical relationships.
• The permeability of matter has values different from that of free space and arises from the matter’s composition and arrangement. It is not a constant for a material and varies based on many factors, including temperature, orientation, and strength of the external field.