Dipoles and dipole moment

1 An electric dipole has an equal positive and negative charge separated by a small distance a. The dipole moment is defined as the charge q multiplied by the separation a.

2 A magnetic dipole has North and South poles separated by a distance a. All permanent magnets are magnetic dipoles. Isolated magnetic poles - as far as we know - do not exist.

The Earth's magnetic field (if undisturbed by the solar wind) is a dipole field.