Inductance Converter
Convert between henry, millihenry, microhenry, and more
Conversion Formula:
Multiply by 1000
Common Conversions
Common Inductance Values
| Component | Typical Inductance | Common Applications |
|---|---|---|
| PCB Trace (1cm) | 10-20 nH | High-frequency circuits |
| Surface Mount Inductor (Tiny) | 1-100 nH | RF filters, impedance matching |
| Small Chip Inductor | 100 nH - 10 uH | Mobile devices, RF circuits |
| RF Choke | 1 - 100 uH | Signal filtering, EMI suppression |
| Power Inductor | 1 - 1000 uH | DC-DC converters, power supplies |
| Ferrite Bead | 0.1 - 10 uH | EMI suppression, noise filtering |
| Small Toroid | 10 - 100 uH | Switching regulators, filters |
| Audio Inductor | 100 uH - 10 mH | Audio filters, crossovers |
| Large Toroid | 1 - 100 mH | Power line filters, transformers |
| Transformer Winding | 10 mH - 1 H | Line-frequency transformers |
| Solenoid Valve Coil | 100 mH - 10 H | Electromechanical actuators |
Understanding Inductance
Inductance is the property of an electrical conductor to oppose changes in the current flowing through it. It is represented by the symbol L and measured in henries (H).
Key Concepts:
- Self-inductance: The property of a circuit to oppose changes in current due to the magnetic field produced by the current itself
- Mutual inductance: The property of one circuit to induce voltage in another circuit through a changing magnetic field
- Energy storage: Inductors store energy in their magnetic field (E = 1/2 LI squared)
- Reactance: Inductors oppose AC current with an inductive reactance (XL = 2*pi*f*L)
- Time constant: In RL circuits, the time constant tau = L/R determines how quickly current changes
Applications:
- Power electronics: Inductors are used in power supplies, filters, and energy storage
- Radio frequency: Tuned circuits, impedance matching, and filters
- Signal processing: Noise suppression, bandwidth limiting
- Sensors: Metal detectors, proximity sensors
- Energy conversion: Transformers, motors, generators
- Wireless power: Inductive charging systems
Inductance Facts:
The inductance of a component depends on its geometry, the number of turns in the coil, core material, and the surrounding environment.
For an air core solenoid:
L = (mu0 * N squared * A) / l
Where:
- L = inductance in henries
- mu0 = permeability of free space (4*pi x 10^-7 H/m)
- N = number of turns in the coil
- A = cross-sectional area of the coil
- l = length of the coil
Adding a ferromagnetic core can increase inductance by hundreds or thousands of times.
Inductance Formulas
Inductive Reactance:
XL = 2*pi*f*L
Where f is frequency in Hz and L is inductance in henries
Energy Stored:
E = 1/2 * L * I squared
Where I is current in amperes
RL Circuit Time Constant:
tau = L/R
Where R is resistance in ohms
Resonant Frequency:
f = 1/(2*pi*sqrt(LC))
Where C is capacitance in farads
Voltage Across Inductor:
V = L * (dI/dt)
Where dI/dt is the rate of change of current
Unit Reference
Prefix multipliers for henry:
- picohenry (pH): 10^-12 H (0.000000000001 H)
- nanohenry (nH): 10^-9 H (0.000000001 H)
- microhenry (uH): 10^-6 H (0.000001 H)
- millihenry (mH): 10^-3 H (0.001 H)
- henry (H): base unit
- kilohenry (kH): 10^3 H (1,000 H)
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Visual Comparison
Inductance Visualization
Relative Size Comparison:
Typical Inductor Type:
Key Characteristics:
6.28 kΩ
0.500 mJ
0.001 s
159.15 kHz
Common Applications:
Audio transformers, larger filter chokes
Basic Formulas:
XL = 2πfL (Inductive Reactance = 2π × Frequency × Inductance)
E = ½LI² (Energy = ½ × Inductance × Current²)
τ = L/R (Time Constant = Inductance / Resistance)
f = 1/(2π√LC) (Resonant Frequency with Capacitor)
V = L × (dI/dt) (Voltage across inductor = Inductance × Rate of current change)
Note: Inductance (L) is the property of resisting changes in current flow.
Mobile tip: Swipe left or right on the unit dropdown to quickly change units, or use the arrow buttons
About the Inductance Converter
Convert between henry, millihenry, microhenry, and more All conversions run instantly in your browser and nothing you enter is sent to a server.
Common Conversion Formulas
| From | To | Formula |
|---|---|---|
| Henry (H) | Millihenry (mH) | mH = H × 1,000 |
| Henry (H) | Microhenry (μH) | μH = H × 1,000,000 |
| Voltage (V) | Inductance (L), Current Change (dI/dt) | V = L × (dI/dt) |