What does eddy current loss relate to in a conductor?

Eddy current loss refers to the energy lost in a conductor due to the formation of circulating currents induced by a changing magnetic field. When a conductor, such as a metal core, is subjected to alternating magnetic fields, not only does it experience magnetic flux changes, but these changes also induce currents within the conductor itself, known as eddy currents.

The induced eddy currents generate heat as they flow through the conductor due to the resistance of the material, contributing to resistive heating. This heating is significant in applications involving alternating currents and impacts the distribution of current within the core of inductors, transformers, and other magnetic components.

This phenomenon illustrates that eddy current loss significantly relates to the heating effects in the core, as well as the alterations in current distribution resulting from resistive losses. While other choices mention different aspects of conductivity and loss, they do not capture the fundamental nature of eddy current loss concerning the heating in the conductor and the internal current behavior.