{{Short description|Potential energy of a magnetised body in an external magnetic field}} '''Zeeman energy''', or the external field energy, is the potential energy of a magnetised body in an external magnetic field. It is named after the Dutch physicist Pieter Zeeman, primarily known for the Zeeman effect. In SI units, it is given by

:<math>E_{\rm Zeeman} =-\mu_{0} \int_V\,\textbf M\cdot \textbf H_{\rm Ext} \, \mathrm dV</math>

where '''H'''<sub>Ext</sub> is the external field, '''M''' the local magnetisation, and the integral is done over the volume of the body. This is the statistical average (over a unit volume macroscopic sample) of a corresponding microscopic Hamiltonial (energy) for each individual magnetic moment '''m''', which is however experiencing a ''local'' induction '''B''':

:<math>H =-\textbf m \cdot \textbf B </math>

== References == * F. Barozzi, F. Gasparini, Fondamenti di Elettrotecnica: Elettromagnetismo, UTET Torino, 1989 * Hubert, A. and Schäfer, R. Magnetic domains: the analysis of magnetic microstructures, Springer-Verlag, 1998

Category:Magnetism Category:Physical phenomena