PHYSICS PROJECT:-
TO STUDY EARTH'S
MAGNETIC FIELD
USING COMPASS
NEEDLE-BAR MAGNET BY
PLOTTING MAGNETIC
FIELD LINES AND
TANGENT
GALVANOMETER
AIM
The aim of the project is to study the Earth's magnetic field and find
its value (BH) using a tangent galvanometer
INTRODUCTION
Earth's magnetic field, also known as the geomagnetic field, is
the magnetic field that extends from the Earth's interior to
where it meets the solar wind, a stream of charged particles
emanating from the Sun. Its magnitude at the Earth's surface
ranges from 25 to 65 microteslas (0.25 to 0.65 gauss).
Roughly speaking it is the field of a magnetic dipole currently
tilted at an angle of about 10 degrees with respect to Earth's
rotational axis, as if there were a bar magnet placed at that
angle at the center of the Earth. Unlike a bar magnet,
however, Earth's magnetic field changes over time because it
is generated by a geodynamic (in Earth's case, the motion of
molten iron alloys in its outer core).
The North and South magnetic poles wander widely, but
sufficiently slowly for ordinary compasses to remain useful
for navigation. However, at irregular intervals averaging
several hundred thousand years, the Earth's field reverses
and the North and South Magnetic Poles relatively abruptly
switch places. These reversals of the geomagnetic poles leave
a record in rocks that are of value to paleomagnetists in
calculating geomagnetic fields in the past. Such information
in turn is helpful in studying the motions of continents and
ocean floors in the process of plate tectonics.
The magnetosphere is the region above the ionosphere and
extends several tens of thousands of kilometers into space,
protecting the Earth from the charged particles of the solar
wind and cosmic rays that would otherwise strip away the
upper atmosphere, including the ozone layer that protects
the Earth from harmful ultraviolet radiation.
Earth's magnetic field serves to deflect most of the solar
wind, whose charged particles would otherwise strip away
the ozone layer that protects the Earth from harmful
ultraviolet radiation. One stripping mechanism is for gas to be
caught in bubbles of magnetic field, which are ripped off by
solar winds.
The intensity of the field is often measured in gauss (G), but is
generally reported in nanoteslas (nT), with 1G 100,000 nT. A
nanotesla is also referred to as a gamma (y). The tesla is the
SI unit of the Magnetic field, B.
The field ranges between approximately 25,000 and 65,000
nT (0.25-0.65 G).
Near the surface of the Earth, its magnetic field can be closely
approximated by the field of a magnetic dipole positioned at
the center of the Earth and tilted at an angle of about 10°
with respect to the rotational axis of the Earth. The dipole is
roughly equivalent to a powerful bar magnet, with its South
Pole pointing towards the geomagnetic North Pole. The north
pole of a magnet is so defined because, if allowed to rotate
freely, it points roughly northward (in the geographic sense).
Since the north pole of a magnet attracts the south poles of
other magnets and repels the north poles, it must be
attracted to the South Pole.
ABOUT THE TOPIC
TANGENT GALVANOMETER
Principle
The tangent galvanometer works on the principle of tangent
law.
Tangent law of Magnetism
The tangent law of magnetism states that the tangent of the
angle of a compass needle which is due to the movement
under the influence of magnetic field is directly proportional
to the ratio of strengths of two perpendicular magnetic fields.
In simpler words, the tangent of the angle made by the
moving needle under the magnetic field directly indicates the
strength of the perpendicular magnetic fields.
Definition
Tangent galvanometer is the device which was used to
measure small amounts of electric current.
Construction
The working of tangent galvanometer is based on the
principle of tangent law of magnetism.
It consists of a coil of insulated copper wire wound on a
circular non-magnetic frame.
It is utmost necessary that the coil wound is done in
helical arrangement otherwise, the field due to the wire
will affect the compass needle, thus inducing an error in
the reading.
This frame is mounted vertically on a horizontal base for
support.
The coil of insulated copper wire is usually rotated on a
vertical axis passing through its centre.
A small sized magnetic compass with a powerful
magnetic needle is made to nivote at the centre of this
coil such that it is free to rotate in a horizontal plane.
The circular scale is used to read the movement of this
magnetic needle which is divided into four quadrants,
each ranging from 0° to 90°.
A pointer is attached to this needle at right angles,
usually made up of thin alluminium as alluminium is
lighter in mass.
The usual way of discarding possibilities of parallax is
also used i.e placing of a plane mirror below the
compass needle.
Working
The instrument needle sfarts moving firstly under the
influence of Earth's magnetic field.
Movement continues untill the magnetic field of earth is
parallel with the plane of coil.
Then, on application of an uknown current, a second
magnetic field on the axis of the coil which is
perpendicular to the Earth's magnetic field is created.
Hence the compass needle responds to the vector sum
of the two fields.
This deflection angle is equal to the tangent of the ratio
of those two fields.
APPLICATION
T.G. can be used to measure the magnitude of the
horizontal component of the geomagnetic field.
The principle can be used to compare the galvanometer
constants.
For calibration of secondary instruments.
APPARATUS AND MATERIALS REQUIRED
➤ Tangent Galvanometer (TG),
➤ Commutator (C),
➤ Rheostat (R),
➤ Battery (E),
➤ Ammeter (A),
➤ Key (K)
THEORY
Tangent galvanometer is an early measuring instrument for
small electric currents. It consists of a coil of insulated copper
wire wound on a circular non-magnetic frame. Its working is
based on the principle of the tangent law of magnetism.
When a current is passed through the circular coil, a magnetic
field (B) is produced at the center of the coil in a direction
perpendicular to the plane of the coil. The working of tangent
galvanometer is based on the tangent law. It is stated as
when a magnet is suspended freely in magnetic field F and H,
the magnet comes to rest making an angle 0 with the
direction H such that,
When a bar magnet is suspended in two Magnetic fields B
and Bh, it comes to rest making an angle 0 with the direction
of Bh.
Let a current I be passed through the coil of radius R, having
turns N. Then magnetic field produced at the centre of coil is,
PROCEDURE
Connections are made as shown in the figure given below,
where K is the key, E the battery, A the ammeter, R the
rheostat, C the commutator, and
T.G the tangent galvanometer. The commutator can reverse
the current through the T.G coil without changing the current
in the rest of the circuit. Taking the average of the resulting
two readings for deflection averages out, any small error in
positioning the T.G coil relative to the earth's magnetic field
H.
CIRCUIT DIAGRAM
PROCEDURE FOR PERFORMING THE EXPERIMENT
1. Make the circuit connections in accordance with the circuit
diagram.
2. Using spirit level, level the base and the compass needle in
compass box of tangent galvanometer by adjusting the
leveling screw.
3. Now rotate the coil of the galvanometer about its vertical
axis, till the magnetic needle, its image in the plane mirror
fixed at the base of the compass box and the coil, [Link]
4. These three lie in the same vertical plane.
5. In this setting, the ends of the aluminium pointer should
read zero-zero. If this is not so, rotate the box without
disturbing the position of the coil till at least one of the ends
of the pointer stands at the zero marks.
6. By closing the key K, the current flow in the galvanometer.
Read the both ends of the pointer. Now reverse the direction
of current by using the reversing key. When the mean values
of both deflections shown by the pointer in the two cases (i.e.
before and after reversing the current) differ by more than 1º,
then turn slightly the vertical coil until the two values agree.
This will set the plane of the coil exactly in the magnetic
meridian.
7. By adjusting the rheostat, bring the deflection in
galvanometer around 45°. The deflection should not be
outside the range (30°-60°).
8. Record the reading of the ammeter and the deflection of
the compass needle in the box shown by two ends of pointer
on the scale.
9. Reverse the current in the coil of galvanometer and again
record the current and deflection of needle.
10. By changing the value of current, take four or more set of
readings and plot the graph between I and tan 9. The graph
will be a straight line.
11. Measure the inner and the outer diameter of the coil with
a half metre scale at least three times.
OBSERVATIONS AND CALCULATIONS
Table 2. For radius of tangent Galvanometer
Mean radius of coil R = 8.04 × 10-2
RESULT
The value of earth's magnetic field by using a tangent
galvanometer is
H=7.6867x10-8 T
PRECAUTIONS
1. The battery should be freshly charged.
2. The magnetic needle should swing freely in the horizontal
plane.
3. The plane of coil must be set in magnetic meridian.
4. There should be no parallax in noting down the readings of
ammeter and deflection.
5. All the readings should be adjusted between 30° and 60°
SOURCES OF ERROR
1. There may a magnetic material around apparatus.
2. The plane of coil will not be exactly in the magnetic
meridian.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
[Link]
Google search engine
Physics NCERT book for class XII
CONCLUSION
Experiment in tangent galvanometer gives the reduction
factor of galvanometer and horizontal intensity of Earth’s
magnetic field.
RESULT
[Link] reduction factor of T.G,K =0.19682 A
[Link] Intensity at the place, Bh = 7.6867 X 10-5 T