Talk:Magnetic induction
Magnetic field B is a force?
The intro says "The magnetic induction is commonly denoted by B(r,t) and is a vector field". That is a misstatement, as the force on a moving charge is the Lorentz force F = q (v × B).1
From a microscopic standpoint, the magnetic field B is fundamental because it determines the effects upon the dynamics of the charges. The magnetic field intensity (or whatever you want to call it) H is a derived quantity H = B/μ0 − M. The magnetization M is determined by decisions about the level of detail one needs in describing ensembles of charges, and so is really a decision about how coarsely one can deal with portions of a system of charges, lumping some of them together in an ensemble as a "magnetic material". John R. Brews 13:48, 9 December 2010 (UTC)