The term magnetic potential can be used for either of two quantities in classical electromagnetism: the magnetic vector potential (often called simply the vector potential) and the magnetic scalar potential. (However, the magnetic vector potential is more commonly encountered than the magnetic scalar potential.) The magnetic scalar potential is analogous to the electric potential which defines the electric field in electrostatics and is used to specify the H-field when there are no free currents. The magnetic vector potential performs a similar role for the B-field. Together with the electric potential it can be used to specify both the E-field and the B-field. Advanced theories such as relativity and quantum mechanics use the magnetic vector potential and the electric scalar potential instead of the electric and magnetic fields.
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