Inductor: An inductor is a device for storing energy in a magnetic field.

In usual practice a
coil or solenoid is treated as inductor. It may be regarded as magnetic counterpart of a
capacitor, which stores energy in an electric field.
Self-Inductance: Faraday’s law of electromagnetic induction says that
−d φ B
ϵ=
dt
Let us consider a closed packed coil. Consider that the current I is changing in a single coil,
flux will also change in the same proportion, i.e.,
φB ∝ I
φ B=LI
Thus we can write
dI
ϵ=−L
dt
Where L is the constant of proportionality and it is called the self-inductance.
From the above equation we can write
−ϵ
L=
dI
dt
Thus the self-inductance is the amount of induced emf in a coil per unit rate of decay of
current in that same coil.
The unit of self-inductance is Henry.
1 volt
1 Henry=
ampere
1
sec
Thus 1 Henry is the inductance of a circuit in which an emf of 1 volt is induced, when the
current in it changes at the rate of one ampere per second.
Mutual Inductance: Mutual inductance is the amount of emf induced in one coil per unit rate
of change of current in another coil adjacent to the first coil. It can be expressed as
−ϵ 21 −ϵ 12
M 21= ∨M 12=
d I1 d I2
dt dt
Physical significance of self-Inductance: Self-inductance plays the same
role in an electrical circuit as the mass or moment of inertia in mechanical
motion. When the circuit is on the self-inductance by inducing an e.m.f.
slows down the growth of the current. Similarly, when circuit is broken an
induced e.m.f. in the same direction as original e.m.f. thus slows down the
decay of current in the circuit. If we wish to change the current in a coil we
must overcome this inertia by connecting the coil to some external voltage
source such as, a battery or generator as shown in fig. 1. In such circuit, the
current I depends on the voltage V according to the relation Fig. 1.
 dI
ϵ=L
dt
This equation has the same form as the Newton’s law of motion for a particle in one
dimension i.e., externally applied voltage corresponds to externally applied force F and the
current corresponding to the velocity v of the particle, we can make the following
correspondence:

Particle Coil
F (Force) V (Potential difference)
v (Velocity) I (Current)
x (Displacement) q (Charge)
dv dI
F=m ϵ=L
dt dt
mv (Momentum) LI (Flux)
1 1 2
m v 2(Kinetic energy) L I (Magnetic energy)
2 2
Self-inductance for a solenoid of length l
Let l is the length of the solenoid with an air core and total number of turns are N. When
Current I flows through it, the magnetic field inside it is given by

B=μ 0∈ ¿ ¿
l
If A is the area of each turn then magnetic flux through each turn is Fig. 2.
NIA
¿ μ0
l
Total flux through the solenoid
N
φ B=μ 0 IAN
l
2
N IA
φ B=μ 0
l
When the current I varies, the flux φ B changes giving rise to the induced e.m.f.

ϵ=
−d
dt (
μ0
N 2 IA
l )
2
−μ0 N A dI
ϵ=
l dt
dI
ϵ=−L [¿ the definition of L]
dt
 2
μ0 N A
Therefore L=
l

¿ L=μ0 n2 lA

Where n is the number of turns per unit length.

If the solenoid is wound over a core of constant permeability , then

μ N2 A
L=
l
Where μ=μ 0 μ r and μr is the relative permeability.
Self-inductance for a solenoid toroidal coil of rectangular cross-section
A toroidal coil of rectangular cross-section is shown in fig. 3. Let N is the number of turns
uniformly distributed over its circumference. Suppose a and b are internal and external radius
respectively.

Fig. 3.
The lines of ⃗B are concentric circle. Consider a circular path of radius r concentric with the
toroid. Let a current I flows through the winding. Applying Ampere’s law

∮ ⃗B . d l⃗ =μ 0 × Currnet enclosed by path

∮ ⃗B . d l⃗ =μ 0∋¿
Since lines of ⃗ B∧d l⃗ is zero.
B for the toroid are concentric circles i.e., angle between ⃗
Therefore
B∮ dl=μ0 ∋¿

B ( 2 πr )=μ0 ∋¿

∴ B=μ0 ∋ ¿ ¿
2 πr
Consider a rectangular strip of width dr and height h at a distance r from centre. Then the
magnetic flux linked with this elementary strip is
d φ B=BdA

d φ B=μ0 ∋ ¿ hdr [where , dA=hdr ]¿

2 πr
Therefore, the flux linked with one turn of the toroid is
 b
φ B=∫ d φ B
a
b
φ B=∫ μ 0∋ ¿ hdr ¿
a 2 πr

μ0 NIh b dr
φ B= ∫
2π a r

μ0 NIh b
φ B= ln
2π a
Total flux with N turn is
2
μ0 N Ih b
N φ B= ln
2π a

N φ B=LI
[According to the definition of self-inductance]
So that we can write,
μ 0 N 2 Ih b
LI = ln
2π a

μ0 N 2 h b
L= ln
2π a

If coil is wound over a core of permeability, then

2
μN h b
L= ln
2π a

Where μ=μ 0 μ r and μr is the relative permeability.