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Self-inductance occurs when a changing current in a circuit creates a changing magnetic flux, inducing an emf in the same circuit. Mutual inductance, by contrast, arises when current in one circuit produces a changing magnetic field that induces an emf in a separate circuit. Both phenomena follow Faraday's law and are measured in henries.

According to Lenz's law, the self-induced emf opposes any change in the current flowing through the circuit. This opposition arises because the induced emf creates a magnetic field that resists the change in magnetic flux caused by the changing current, maintaining the circuit's electromagnetic stability.

The magnetic flux in a circuit is directly proportional to the current flowing through it. The proportionality constant between flux and current is the self-inductance of the circuit. Using Faraday's law, the induced emf can be expressed as the negative time derivative of magnetic flux, which equals the self-inductance multiplied by the rate of change of current.

Any configuration of conductors possesses self-inductance, including wire loops, long straight wires, and coaxial cables. Coaxial cables, commonly used in cable television and modems, contain two cylindrical conductors with self-inductance that can produce undesirable effects on signal transmission despite their ability to transmit electrical signals with minimal distortions.

When a current-carrying wire is formed into N turns, the self-inductance increases proportionally. Self-inductance is expressed as the ratio of N times the magnetic flux through each turn to the current passing through the loop, meaning inductance scales with the square of the number of turns in practical coil designs.

Self-inductance depends purely on the physical geometry and configuration of the conductor, not on the current or voltage applied. Using Ampère's law and Faraday's law, the self-inductance must be calculated separately for each conductor geometry. For a straight current-carrying conductor, the magnetic field is determined by geometry, and integrating this field over the cross-sectional area yields the self-inductance value.

In AC circuits, current varies with time, causing the magnetic flux through the circuit to change correspondingly. This changing flux induces an emf that opposes the current variation. Understanding self-inductance is essential for analyzing current growth and decay in RL circuits and predicting how inductors respond to time-varying signals.