In physics, susceptibility is a measure of how much a material responds to an external force, such as an electric or magnetic field. There are different types of susceptibility depending on the context, but the two most common ones are:
1. **Magnetic Susceptibility (χₘ):**
This measures how much a material becomes magnetized in response to an applied magnetic field. The formula for magnetic susceptibility is:
\[
\chi_m = \frac{M}{H}
\]
where:
- \( \chi_m \) is the magnetic susceptibility,
- \( M \) is the magnetization of the material (the magnetic moment per unit volume),
- \( H \) is the magnetic field strength.
Magnetic susceptibility can be related to the permeability of the material through the formula:
\[
\chi_m = \frac{\mu_r - 1}{\mu_0}
\]
where:
- \( \mu_r \) is the relative permeability of the material,
- \( \mu_0 \) is the permeability of free space.
2. **Electric Susceptibility (χₑ):**
This measures how much a material becomes polarized in response to an applied electric field. The formula for electric susceptibility is:
\[
\chi_e = \frac{P}{\epsilon_0 E}
\]
where:
- \( \chi_e \) is the electric susceptibility,
- \( P \) is the electric polarization of the material (the electric dipole moment per unit volume),
- \( \epsilon_0 \) is the permittivity of free space,
- \( E \) is the electric field strength.
Electric susceptibility is related to the relative permittivity (\( \epsilon_r \)) of the material by:
\[
\chi_e = \epsilon_r - 1
\]
where:
- \( \epsilon_r \) is the relative permittivity (also known as the dielectric constant) of the material.
In both cases, susceptibility provides insight into how a material interacts with external fields and helps in understanding its electrical or magnetic properties.