Electromagnetic Testing Formulas

Resistance (R)

resistance =

specific resistance length

area

where
resistance = ohms ()
specific resistance () = ohms-circular mil/ft
area = circular mils (SI: cm2 or m2)
length = ft (SI: cm or m)
Note: In SI, specific resistance is expressed in
ohm-meters (m) or ohm-centimeters (cm).
The conversion is:
1 ohm-circular mil/ft = 1.66243 109 m
Conductance ()
= 1/R
where
R = resistance (ohms)
In SI, conductance is expressed in siemens (S). An
informal unit for conductance is the mho:
1 S = 1 mho

Inductive Reactance (XL)

XL = 2fL
where
XL = inductive reactance (ohms)
f = frequency (hertz)
L = inductance (henries)
Impedance (Z)
Z 2 = R 2 + XL2
This may be reduced to:
Z = R2 + XL 2

where
R = resistance
XL = inductive reactance
Phase Angle ()

X
= arctan L
R

where
R = resistance
XL = inductive reactance

Frequency
To find the tangent of an angle ():
Expressed in hertz (HZ):
1 Hz = 1 cycle/s
Ohms Law
V=IR
where
V = voltage (volts)
R = resistance (ohms)
I = current (amperes or amps)

tan =

length of opposite side

length of adjacent side

Note: The angle () with a known tangent is

written as tan1 or arctan.

Conductivity ()
Expressed in %IACS. The conductivity of pure
annealed copper is 100% IACS.
Note: In SI, conductivity is expressed in siemens
per meter (S/m). The equivalence to other SI units
is:
1 S = 1 A/V
where
A = amperes
V = volts
The conversion from %IACS to MS/m is:
%IACS 0.580

Depth of Penetration ()
=

where

= standard depth of penetration in meters

= 3.1416
= frequency in hertz (Hz)
= magnetic permeability in henries per
meter (H/m)
= electrical conductivity in siemens (mhos)
per meter (S/m)
Note: The standard depth of penetration is the
depth at which the current strength drops to
37% of the current density that exists at the
surface of the test object.

Resistivity ()
Fill Factor (FF)
Expressed in micro-ohm-centimeters (ohm-cm
or -cm).
Conductivity/Resistivity Conversion

For encircling coils:

FF = =

%IACS = 172.41/-cm
Magnetic Permeability ()

d2
D2

where
d = test object outside diameter
D = coil inside diameter

= B/H
For bobbin coils:
where
B = flux density in tesla (T)
H = magnetizing force in amperes per meter
(Am1 or A/m)

FF = =

d2
D2

where
d = coil outside diameter
D = tube inside diameter