Längddensitet

Längddensitet, often denoted by the Greek letter lambda (λ), is a physical quantity that describes how much of a particular property is concentrated along a length. It is defined as the amount of the property divided by the length over which it is distributed. The units of längddensitet depend on the specific property being measured. For example, if the property is mass, then längddensitet refers to linear mass density, measured in kilograms per meter (kg/m). This is commonly used to describe the mass distribution of a rod, cable, or string.

In electromagnetism, längddensitet can refer to linear charge density, which is the electric charge per unit length, measured in coulombs per meter (C/m). This concept is useful when analyzing the electric fields created by uniformly charged wires or rods. Similarly, in optics or heat transfer, one might encounter a linear absorption coefficient or a linear thermal conductivity, indicating how effectively light is absorbed or heat is conducted along a linear path. The general principle remains the same: a measure of concentration or distribution per unit length. This concept is fundamental in various fields of physics and engineering for simplifying complex distributions into a more manageable, one-dimensional representation.