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To convert from millihenrys (mH) to microhenrys (µH), you multiply by 1,000, as there are 1,000 microhenrys in one millihenry.
Example:
Convert an inductance of 5 mH to µH.
5 mH × 1000 µH/mH = 5,000 µH
Answer: 5 millihenrys is equal to 5,000 microhenrys.
Inductance is the tendency of an electrical conductor to oppose a change in the electric current flowing through it. When current flows through a wire, it creates a magnetic field around it. If this current changes, the magnetic field also changes. According to Faraday's law of induction, a changing magnetic field induces a voltage (or electromotive force, EMF) in the conductor. Lenz's law further specifies that this induced voltage will be in a direction that opposes the original change in current. This opposition to a change in current is what we call inductance. It is the electrical equivalent of inertia in mechanics—just as mass resists changes in velocity, inductance resists changes in current.
The physical component designed to have a specific inductance is called an inductor, which is typically a coil of wire, often wrapped around a magnetic core. Inductors are fundamental passive components in electronics, used alongside resistors and capacitors. They are crucial for storing energy in a magnetic field, and this property is exploited in a wide variety of applications, including power supplies, transformers, radios, and filters. The SI unit of inductance is the Henry (H), named after the American scientist Joseph Henry. This converter helps you move between the Henry and its smaller, more common sub-units, the millihenry and microhenry, which are essential for practical circuit design.
V = L * (dI/dt), where 'V' is the induced voltage, 'L' is the inductance in Henrys, and 'dI/dt' is the rate of change of current over time.U = ½ * L * I², where 'L' is inductance and 'I' is the current flowing through it.L = (μ₀ * N² * A) / l, where 'μ₀' is the permeability of free space, 'N' is the number of turns of wire, 'A' is the cross-sectional area, and 'l' is the length of the coil.L_total = L₁ + L₂ + L₃ + ....1/L_total = 1/L₁ + 1/L₂ + 1/L₃ + ....Inductors are used to block AC (alternating current) while allowing DC (direct current) to pass. Because they resist changes in current, they are key components in filters (to smooth out DC power), oscillators (to create signals of a specific frequency), and transformers (to change AC voltage levels).
Inductors and capacitors are in many ways electrical opposites. Inductors store energy in a magnetic field and resist changes in *current*. Capacitors store energy in an electric field and resist changes in *voltage*. This dual nature makes them essential partners in creating resonant circuits, like a radio tuner.
An ideal inductor has zero resistance. When a DC voltage is applied, the inductor initially opposes the change, but the current will then ramp up linearly to infinity over time (dI/dt is constant). In a real inductor, the current will be limited by the wire's own small internal resistance.
Coiling the wire concentrates the magnetic field lines, which greatly increases the inductance compared to a straight piece of wire. Adding a magnetic core material (like iron or ferrite) inside the coil can increase the inductance even further.
Joseph Henry was a 19th-century American scientist who discovered the principle of electromagnetic induction independently of and at about the same time as Michael Faraday in England. He also invented the electromagnet. The SI unit of inductance is named in his honor for his pioneering work.
Back EMF (electromotive force) is the voltage that an inductor generates in opposition to the change in current flowing through it. This is the physical manifestation of inductance. It can be very large if the current is switched off suddenly, which is why circuits with large inductors often need special protection diodes.