Definition
The unit of magnetic flux in the centimeter-gram-second (CGS) system of measurement. One maxwell equals one line of magnetic flux passing through a surface. In the modern SI system, one weber equals 100 million (10^8) maxwells.
Plain English
A small unit used to measure how much magnetism is passing through something. Think of it as counting the invisible lines of magnetic force coming out of a magnet.
Context Anchor
Seen in older aircraft electrical, magneto, and instrument discussions involving magnets or magnetic fields.
Derivation
Named after James Clerk Maxwell, the 19th-century Scottish physicist whose equations describe how electricity and magnetism work together. Honoring his name in the unit was a way to recognize his foundational work on electromagnetic theory.
Why Pilots Care
Pilots rarely use this unit directly, but it appears in maintenance and theory texts that explain how magnetos, generators, and certain flight instruments work. Recognizing the term prevents confusion when reading older technical material.
Grounding Statement
If a magnet's field passes through a surface, the amount of field passing through that surface can be measured in maxwells.
Intuition Check
Maxwell is not a person's name in this context. Here it means a unit used to measure magnetic flux.
Example Sentence 1
The textbook expressed the magnetic flux of the generator's field in maxwells before converting it to webers.
Example Sentence 2
During overhaul the technician checked the Maxwell output of the rotating magnet to confirm it still met the original specification.