ISO 80000-6: Quantities and Units of Electromagnetism

ISO 80000-6 codifies the electromagnetic quantities that govern everything from printed circuit boards to high-voltage grids. Use this guide when documenting test procedures, calibrating instrumentation, or building multiphysics simulations that depend on electric and magnetic field coherence.

Ground your terminology in the foundational language of ISO 80000-1 and the notation rules of ISO 80000-2 so every symbol aligns with the International System of Quantities (ISQ). When electrical power flows feed thermal models, revisit ISO 80000-5 and the Ohm's law power calculator to ensure Joule heating calculations share consistent units, and consult the ampere base unit guide whenever you need a charge-counting refresher for current traceability.

Need context before diving deep? Start with the ISO 80000 overview and the part-by-part quick tables to see where electromagnetism fits among the thirteen volumes. Apply the definitions immediately by experimenting with tools such as the Ohm's law voltage calculator or the RC time constant calculator while checking datasheets and lab results.

What ISO 80000-6 covers

Circuit behaviour

Covers the relationships between current, voltage, resistance, impedance, and power that underpin Ohm's law and network theory.

Field interactions

Defines electric and magnetic field strengths, fluxes, and energy densities for electromagnetics, wave propagation, and shielding studies.

Material response

Details permittivity, permeability, magnetisation, and polarisation so component datasheets match laboratory measurements.

Charge transport

Specifies current density, charge density, and displacement current for semiconductor physics, plasma diagnostics, and EMC compliance.

Review SI base units Connect electrical heating

Principal ISO 80000-6 quantities and unit definitions

Use this table when drafting test reports, reviewing supplier datasheets, or building digital twins that mix circuitry with field simulations. Each entry summarises the ISO 80000-6 definition, the coherent SI unit, and a typical application that reinforces correct context.

Quantity Symbol Coherent unit ISO 80000-6 definition Example application
Electric current I ampere (A) Rate of electric charge flow defined via the elementary charge constant; the ampere is an SI base unit anchoring all ISO 80000-6 relations. Calibrating shunt resistors in power distribution panels so current measurements trace back to SI definitions.
Electric charge Q, q coulomb (C = A·s) Quantity of electricity transported by a steady current of one ampere in one second; used for capacitor sizing and particle counting. Computing the charge storage of supercapacitors when designing regenerative braking systems.
Electric potential difference U, V volt (V = W/A) Work per unit charge required to move charge between two points in an electric field; coherent with joule and coulomb definitions. Documenting voltage classes on switchgear to align safety procedures with ISO-consistent terminology.
Electromotive force E volt (V) Open-circuit potential generated by sources such as batteries or generators that drives current through external circuits. Specifying battery EMF in backup power design notes to distinguish source voltage from loaded terminal voltage.
Electric field strength E volt per metre (V/m) Force per unit charge experienced by a test charge placed in the field; central to insulation design and EMC assessments. Mapping electric field strength inside HV substations to evaluate clearance requirements and signage.
Electric displacement field D coulomb per square metre (C/m²) Relates electric field to free charge density within dielectrics; combines permittivity and polarisation response in materials. Modelling dielectric behaviour in high-frequency PCBs where displacement current dominates conduction current.
Capacitance C farad (F = C/V) Ratio of stored electric charge to potential difference between conductors; scales energy storage and filtering behaviour. Selecting snubber capacitors for power electronics to control voltage spikes across switching devices.
Inductance L henry (H = Wb/A) Flux linkage per unit current in a circuit; quantifies magnetic energy storage and opposition to current change. Calculating transformer magnetising inductance to predict inrush current and design protective relays.
Magnetic flux Φ weber (Wb = V·s) Integral of magnetic flux density over an area; governs induced voltage per Faraday's law and core saturation limits. Tracking rotor flux in electric machines to optimise torque without exceeding core material limits.
Magnetic flux density B tesla (T = Wb/m²) Magnetic flux per unit area; couples with permeability to describe magnetic fields in matter and vacuum. Verifying MRI magnet fields and shielding designs against occupational exposure thresholds.
Magnetic field strength H ampere per metre (A/m) Magnetising field that drives flux through materials; distinguishes applied field from material response. Setting coil excitation levels in magnetic core testing to generate B-H curves for datasheets.
Magnetisation M ampere per metre (A/m) Magnetic dipole moment per unit volume representing material response to an applied field. Characterising permanent magnet materials when comparing ferrite and rare-earth options for actuators.
Resistance R ohm (Ω = V/A) Opposition to electric current due to conductor properties; fundamental to Ohm's law and Joule heating calculations. Documenting resistor tolerances in PCB schematics to maintain precision voltage dividers.
Conductance G siemens (S = 1/Ω) Reciprocal of resistance indicating ease of current flow; useful for parallel network calculations and admittance models. Summing branch conductances when configuring building electrical load-flow simulations.
Conductivity σ siemens per metre (S/m) Material property linking current density to electric field; guides cable selection and grounding system design. Evaluating soil conductivity measurements before sizing cathodic protection systems.
Current density J ampere per square metre (A/m²) Electric current per unit cross-sectional area; important for semiconductor design and power busbar sizing. Checking copper trace widths on printed circuit boards to avoid exceeding allowable current density.
Magnetic permeability μ henry per metre (H/m) Proportionality constant between magnetic flux density and field strength in a medium; includes vacuum permeability μ₀. Specifying core materials for inductors with precise relative permeability to meet filter attenuation goals.

Ampere-tied traceability

ISO 80000-6 pins every electrical measurement to the redefined ampere, ensuring that calibrations derived from fundamental constants stay interoperable across laboratories and grids.

Unified field language

By harmonising symbols for E, D, B, H, and related vector fields, the part eliminates ambiguity between materials data, simulation outputs, and compliance reports.

Material and circuit cohesion

Coherent units for permittivity, permeability, and impedance make it straightforward to flow data between PCB tools, finite-element solvers, and asset management platforms without hidden conversions.

Implementation playbook

Rolling ISO 80000-6 into engineering workflows means aligning documentation, calibration, and training. Use these steps as a checklist to keep circuit design, lab testing, and asset maintenance harmonised.

  1. Audit schematics and models

    Review CAD libraries, SPICE models, and field solver templates to confirm symbols and units follow ISO 80000-6 conventions, especially for vector quantities.

  2. Calibrate instrumentation

    Update procedures for oscilloscopes, power analysers, and gaussmeters so measurement certificates reference ampere- and volt-traceable artefacts.

  3. Document material properties

    Normalise datasheets and ERP records to store permittivity, permeability, conductivity, and magnetisation with SI units, noting any frequency-dependent behaviour.

  4. Embed training examples

    Pair onboarding materials with worked examples that link ISO definitions to calculators such as Ohm's law and RC time constants to reinforce correct unit handling.

As you implement changes, link training decks and design reviews to calculators like the Ohm's law current tool or the parallel resistance calculator so teams practise with ISO-compliant units during hands-on problem solving.

Further reading

Pair this electromagnetism deep dive with adjacent ISO chapters and foundational SI guidance to maintain a consistent measurement language across your organisation.

Practice with calculators

Reinforce ISO 80000-6 definitions by experimenting with calculators that translate them into everyday engineering decisions.