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To Study the Earth’s Magnetic field using
Compass Needle-bar magnet by Plotting
Magnetic Field Lines
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Apparatus And Material Required - A bar magnet,
compass needle, drawing board, sheet of paper, half-
meter scale, sharp pencil, brass pins or cellotape.
Basic Concepts
1. Magnetic field line - It may be defined as the curve
the tangent to which at any point gives the direction of
the magnetic field at that point. It may also be defined
as the path along which a unit north pole would tend
to move if free to do so. Two magnetic field lines
cannot cross each other.
The magnetic field around a magnet can be traced with
the help of a magnetic compass needle. It consists of a
small and light magnetic needle pivoted at the centre
of a small circular brass case provided with a glass top.
2. Earth's magnetic field - When a magnet is freely
suspended, it sets itself in the north-south direction.
This is due to the fact that our earth behaves as a huge
magnet with its south pole somewhere near the geo
graphical north pole and its north pole somewhere
near the geographical south pole. It is the horizontal
component of the earth's magnetic field which is
effective in orienting the magnet in a particular
direction.
[Link] of earth's magnetic field - The earth's
magnetic field at a place can be completely described
by three parameters which are called elements of
earth's magnetic field
(i) Magnetic declination - The angle between the
geographic meridian and the magnetic meridian at a
place is called the magnetic declination (a) at that
place.
(ii) Dip angle - The angle made by the earth's total
magnetic field with the horizontal is called dip angle at
any place. It is equal to the angle made by a freely
suspended magnetic needle with the horizontal. It is
denoted by delta.
iii) Horizontal component of earth's magnetic field -
The component of the earth's total magnetic field
along the horizontal direction is called the horizontal
component of the earth's magnetic field. If delta is the
dip angle at any place where the earth's magnetic field
is B, then horizontal component of the earth's
magnetic field will be
BH = B*cos
(iv) Neutral point - It is the point where the magnetic
field due to a magnet is equal and opposite to the
horizontal component of the earth's magnetic field.
The resultant magnetic field at the neutral point is
zero.
(v)Position of neutral points
(a) Magnet placed in the magnetic meridian with its N-
pole pointing north. The two neutral points P and Q lie
on the equatorial line of the magnet, as shown in Fig.
16. At any neutral point, Horizontal component of
earth's magnetic field = Field of the magnet at
equatorial point
Or BH=Bequa
Or BH=u0/4pi * Mr3 [For a short magnet]
Where r is the distance of each neutral point from the
centre of the magnet and M is the dipole moment of
the magnet.
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Procedure For Plotting Field lines of a Magnet in the
Broad Side on position
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1. Fix a sheet of paper on the drawing board with brass
pins or cellotape.
2. Remove the magnets and the magnetic substances
from the vicinity of the drawing board. Draw a line
joining the midpoints N and S of the longer sides of the
paper. To adjust this line along the magnetic meridian,
place a compass needle at the middle of this line.
Rotate the drawing board till the middle line is parallel
the compass needle. During the process, tap the
needle gently to ensure that the friction between the
needle and its pivot is minimised and that it rotates
freely. Then the needle will point along the north-
south direction. Mark the boundary of the drawing
board with a piece of chalk
3. Place the bar magnet symmetrically in the middle of
the line NS as shown in Fig. 18, with its north pole
pointing towards north. Mark the boundary of the
magnet with a sharp pencil. See that the positions of
the magnet and the board are not disturbed during the
experiment.
4. Place the compass needle near the north pole of the
magnet. Tap it gently and mark two dots A and B.
against the south and north poles of the magnet,
respectively. Shift the compass so that the south pole
of the needle coincides with the second dot B and
mark a third point C now against the north pole of the
compass needle. In this manner, go on step by step till
the other end of the magnet is reached. A smooth
free-hand curve drawn through the marked points
gives a magnetic line of force.
Fig. 18 Magnetic field and neutral points of a bar
magnet with its N-pole pointing towards north.
[Link] several lines of force around the magnet,
indicating their directions by arrowheads from the
north to the south pole of the magnet. An area around
the point P is observed such that the fields at D and E
are in opposite directions. If the compass needle is
moved from D to E, the direction of the field reverses.
This region is the neutral point region. There is another
similar region around the point Q.
[Link] locate the neutral points accurately, plot the lines
of force in the neutral point regions as close to each
other as possible. We can plot small portions of lines of
force in order to narrow down the neutral regions.
These lines of force should give rise to a curvilinear
quadrilateral in the neutral point regions. In a neutral
point region such as shown in place the plotting.
compass at such a position by trial and error that its
needle stays in any direction and has no preferred
direction. Mark the circular boundary of the compass
needle. The centre of the circular boundary gives the
position of the neutral point. In this manner locate
both the neutral points P and Q along the equitorial
line. Test for neutral point. At the neutral point, the
compass needle stays in any direction. To test it, bring
an iron nail or a needle near the compass needle which
will be attracted by it. Now take the nail or the needle
gently away from the compass without disturbing it.
There should be no change in the direction of the
compass needle at the neutral point.
[Link] the N- and S-poles of the magnet accurately.
For this purpose, we remove the magnet, we produce
the field lines drawn near the ends of the magnet to
meet just inside the magnet at points N and S.
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Procedure For Plotting The Field Lines Of A magnet in
the End-On Positions
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[Link] a sheet of paper on the drawing board with brass
pins or cello tape.
[Link] the magnets and the magnetic substances
from the vicinity of the drawing board. Draw a line
joining the midpoints N and S of the shorter sides of
the paper. To adjust this line along the magnetic
meridian, place a compass needle at the middle of this
line. Rotate the drawing board till the middle line is
parallel to the compass needle. Mark the boundary of
the drawing board with a piece of chalk
[Link] the bar magnet symmetrically in the middle of
the line NS as shown in Fig. 20 with its north pole
pointing towards south Mark the boundary of the
magnet with a sharp pencil. See that the positions of
the magnet and the board are not disturbed during the
experiment.
Fig. 20 Magnetic Field
and Neutral points of
a bar magnet With its
N-Pole pointing
towards South
[Link] the compass needle near the south pole of the
magnet and mark two dots A and B against the south
and north poles of the needle, respectively. Shift the
compass so that the south pole of the needle coincides
with the second dot B and mark a third point C now
against the north pole of the compass needle. In this
manner, go on step by step till the other end of the
magnet is reached. A smooth free-hand curve drawn
through the marked points gives a magnetic line of
force.
[Link] several lines of force around the magnet,
indicating their directions by arrowheads from the
north to the south pole of the magnet. An area around
the point P is observed such that points D and E are in
opposite directions. If the compass needle is moved
from D to E, direction of the field reverses. This region
is the neutral point region. There is another similar
region around the point Q.
6. To locate the neutral points accurately, plot the
lines. of force accurately in the neutral point region as
close to each other as possible Lines of force in these
regions may be rather short in length. These lines of
force should give rise to a curvilinear quadrilateral in
the neutral point regions. In a neutral point region,
place the plotting compass at such a position by trial
and error that its needle stays in any direction and has
to preferred direction. Mark the boundary of the
compass needle. The centre of the circular boundary
gives the position of the neutral points along the axial
line.
Test for neutral point. Using a compass needle, check
the location of neutral points P and Q as explained in
previous case.
7. Locate the positions of N- and S-poles accurately.
Conclusion
[Link] resultant magnetic field of the magnet and the
earth with N-pole of the magnet pointing north is
shown in Fig. 18. The neutral points P and Q lie on the
equatorial line of the magnet.
[Link] resultant magnetic field of the magnet and the
earth with N-pole of the magnet point south.
[Link] the above two observations, it can be
concluded that the direction of the earth's magnetic
field is from geographic south to north.
Precautions
1. Mark the boundary of the drawing board and that of
the magnet. The board and the magnet should not be
disturbed throughout the experiment.
[Link] should be no magnetic materials near the
working table.
[Link] pins (non-magnetic), gum or cellotape should
be used for fixing the sheet on the drawing board.
Drawing pins of iron should not be used.
4. Tap compass needle gently every time so as to avoid
its sticking.
5. The ends of the compass needle should be marked
with a sharp pencil and the dots so obtained should be
joined by smooth free-hand curve.
6. To locate neutral points accurately, a large number
of lines of force should be drawn in the neutral
[Link] poles of the magnet should be located more
accurately.
[Link] directions of the lines of force should be
indicated by arrowheads.
GURU NANAK PUBLIC SCHOOL
SESSION :- 2023-24
PHYSICS PROJECT
TOPIC :- TO CHECK EARTH’S MAGNETIC FIELD ON
COMPASS NEEDLE, BAR MAGNET BY PLOTTING
THE DIRECTION ON THE PAPER
Guided By: Submitted By:
Alekhika Pani Swayamjeet Mishra
Dept of Physics XII Science C
GNPS Roll no.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I want to express my deep sense of gratitude towards
teacher Mrs. Alekhikha Pani, GNPS, SBP.
Without her guidance and judicious suggestion it
would not have been possible on my part to complete
this project on time.
I am also thankful to our Principal sir and school
management for their kind support and help from time
to time to complete this project work.
CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that this piece of work "To study the
Earth's magnetic field with compass Needle, Bar
magnet & plotting it" has been submitted by
Swayamjeet Mishra for the partial fulfillment of
physics practical examination for AISSCE-2023-24 for
class XII Science under my supervision and guidance in
Guru Nanak Public School, Sambalpur during the
academic year 2023-2024.
Signature of Principal Signature of
Internal External
Declaration
I Swayamjeet Mishra a student of STD-XII(Science) of
Guru Nanak Public School, Sambalpur. Hereby declare
that this project work is executed by me under the
guidance of our faculty of physics department and is
completed to the best of my knowledge and belief.
Swayamjeet Mishra
GNPS, Sambalpur
Roll no.:-