Coercivity

Coercivity is a measure of a magnetic material’s resistance to changes in its magnetization. It indicates how much effort—specifically, the magnetic field strength—is needed to turn the material's magnetic state from magnetized to demagnetized or to change its magnetization direction. Materials with high coercivity require strong magnetic fields to be altered, making them permanent magnets. Those with low coercivity are easily magnetized and demagnetized, suitable for temporary magnetic applications. Coercivity helps distinguish between permanent magnets and soft magnetic materials used in transformers and inductors.