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TheCanadian
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Permeability is the measure of the ability of a material to support the formation of a magnetic field within itself. And the inductance of an electric circuit is one henry (H) when an electric current that is changing at one ampere per second results in an electromotive force of one volt across the inductor. Although when we state that the permeability of free space is ##\mu_0 = 4\pi \times 10^{−7} H \cdot m^{−1}##, what does this actually mean? How exactly can a vacuum have an inductance? What acts as the inductor/material in this case upon which this measurement of ##\mu_0## is made? I realize electromagnetic waves do not require a medium to propagate, but what is the mechanism behind why this value of ##\mu_0## is not 0? Why is it precisely ##4\pi \times 10^{−7} H \cdot m^{−1}##?