What is the difference between intensity and flux?

Answer 1

Flux has two definitions:
1. The rate at which a quantity goes through a fixed boundary per unit time
2. The surface integral of a field at a given time.

Intensity is defined as the energy flux according to the first definition (of flux) E/A or P/(A*t).

Answer 2

Flux Intensity

Answer 3

In practice, it tends to work out such that Intensity is very generic.. could be a force, could be a qualitative measurement and is generally considered for a given volume, but ..by definition, only refers to a given reference space ...area (2D, or along a curved surface), volume, time ...and the amount or strength therein.

Flux, meanwhile, has a lot to do with the rate of flow, especially through a given area (2D or along a curved surface, but without depth)


If you're having to define something for homework, I'm afraid this won't help, ..so I'm sorry.

If it's for conceptual understanding, ...consider a fan blowing air. Take a hoop. You can, of course, put the hoop where the intensity of the air has the greatest effect: directly across from the fan. But you could also point the fan partly away from the hoop, such that the resultant through the center of the hoop (or through the entire area of the hoop) is far less than when the resultant is at its maximum (when the unit vector along the direction of the fan's flow is in line with the center of the hoop).
...Meanwhile, whether the hoop is getting any air through it because of the fan or not, the fan is still putting out 100% intensity. The flux through the hoop can be anything from 0 to 100% of the maximum possible flow through the hoop, by the fan.

Hope that helps-

Answer 4

intensity is the force or power behind something and flux is variations in intensity.