inductance

It is well known (but often forgotten) that the concept of inductance, without defining a complete loop of current, is completely meaningless! Some books give inductance of a length or wire, some people talk about the inductance of a via, and still others talk about the inductance of ground braids, etc. All these discussions about inductance ignore the requirement for a complete loop before the total or loop inductance can be discussed in any meaningful way.

Every EMI (electromagnetic interference) problem ultimately starts or ends at an electronic circuit. And since electronic components are the building blocks of circuits, it only makes sense to pay attention to the EMI impact of those individual components.

Probably the most important thing to remember about electronic components is that nothing is ideal. Components change values with frequency, current, voltage, and even physical size. And those changes may be nonlinear, adding a new level of complexity. Like a pilot, you need to know the limits so you stay within the envelope of safe performance.