Hysteresis loss for steel is ……. .that for iron.

Options

A. lesser than
B. equal to
C. greater than
D. Either (b) and (c)

Answer

To solve the question regarding the hysteresis loss for steel compared to that for iron, we can follow these steps:

### Step 1: Understand Hysteresis Loss
Hysteresis loss refers to the energy lost in a magnetic material when it is magnetized and demagnetized. This loss is represented by the area enclosed in the hysteresis loop of the material's magnetization curve.

**Hint:** Recall that hysteresis loss is related to the area of the hysteresis loop.

### Step 2: Draw the Hysteresis Curve
To visualize the concept, we can draw the hysteresis loop for both steel and soft iron. The curve typically has two axes: the magnetic field strength (H) on the x-axis and the magnetic flux density (B) on the y-axis.

**Hint:** Remember that the shape of the hysteresis loop can indicate the material's magnetic properties.

### Step 3: Identify Key Properties
In the hysteresis loop, we can identify two important properties:
- **Retentivity**: The ability of a material to retain magnetization.
- **Coercivity**: The resistance of a material to becoming demagnetized.

Soft iron has lower coercivity and higher retentivity compared to steel.

**Hint:** Compare the retentivity and coercivity of both materials to understand their magnetic behavior.

### Step 4: Compare Steel and Soft Iron
Steel generally has a higher coercivity than soft iron. This means that steel requires a larger magnetic field to demagnetize compared to soft iron. Consequently, steel retains its magnetism longer but also loses it less easily.

**Hint:** Consider how the differences in coercivity affect the hysteresis loss.

### Step 5: Conclude on Hysteresis Loss
Since hysteresis loss is proportional to the area of the hysteresis loop, and given that steel has a higher coercivity, it will have a larger area in the hysteresis loop compared to soft iron. Therefore, the hysteresis loss for steel is greater than that for iron.

**Hint:** Relate the area of the hysteresis loop to the energy lost during magnetization and demagnetization.

### Final Answer
Thus, we conclude that the hysteresis loss for steel is greater than that for iron.