To Study of Earth's Magnetic Field Using a Compass
Needle and Bar Magnet by Plotting Magnetic Field
Lines and Using a Tangent Galvanometer
Name: Johan Jijo
Class: XII-B
Roll no.: 26
Bonafide Certificate
This is to certify that this Physics Practical Record
has been successfully completed and executed by
Master Johan Jijo
Student of Class XII-B
Under the guidance and supervision of the Physics
tacher.
Ashna Sajid
___________ __________
Date of submission Invigilator’s Signature
SUBMITTED FOR ALL INDIA SENIOR SECONDARY EXAMINATION(AISSE)
CERTIFICATE AT India International School,Mangaf,Kuwait
___________ __________
Principal External Examiner
INDEX
➢ Acknoledgement
➢ Introduction
➢ Experiment
▪ Aim
▪ Materials Required
▪ Theory
▪ Procedure
▪ Observations
▪ Calculations
▪ Result
▪ Precautions
▪ Sources of Error
➢ Bibliography
Acknowledgments
In preparation of my project, I had the guidance of
my teachers who provided an opportunity for me to
learn and understand this project and who deserves
my deepest gratitude. I would like to thank my
Physics teacher, Mrs. Ashna Sajid, for guiding me
through this project. I would also like to express my
gratitude to the staff of the Physics Department for
their support during the making of this project.
AIM
To Study of Earth’s Magnetic Field using a
compass needle and Bra magnet by
plotting magnetic field lines and using a
tangent galvanometer.
MATERIALS REQUIRED
➢ Compass needle
➢ Bar magnet
➢ Tangent galvanometer
➢ Sheet of white paper (large enough to draw
the magnetic field lines)
➢ Magnetic field plotting board (or flat surface)
➢ Ruler and pencil
➢ Protractor
THEORY
The Earth behaves like a large magnet, with
its magnetic field lines running from the
magnetic south pole to the magnetic north
pole. A compass needle aligns itself along
the Earth's magnetic field lines. A bar magnet
also creates a magnetic field, and the
interaction between the Earth’s magnetic
field and the bar magnet’s field can be
observed using a compass.
A tangent galvanometer is used to measure
the horizontal component of the Earth's
magnetic field. It works on the principle that
when a current passes through a coil of wire,
it creates a magnetic field. By adjusting the
coil's orientation, we can balance the coil's
field with the Earth's field to get a precise
measurement.
PRODCEDURE
Part 1: Plotting Magnetic Field Lines Around a Bar
Magnet
1. Place the bar magnet on the sheet of white
paper on a flat surface.
2. Draw the outline of the bar magnet using a
pencil.
3. Place the compass at various points around the
magnet, and mark the direction in which the
needle points.
4. Move the compass around the magnet in a grid
pattern, marking the direction of the magnetic
field at each point.
5. After marking several points, connect the
marks with smooth curves to represent the
magnetic field lines.
6. Label the poles of the bar magnet and the
direction of the field lines (from North to South).
Part 2: Measuring Earth’s Magnetic Field Using a
Tangent Galvanometer
1. Set up the tangent galvanometer on a flat,
horizontal surface.
2. Align the galvanometer's coil in the plane of the
magnetic meridian (North-South direction). This
can be done using the compass needle.
3. Pass a known current through the
galvanometer’s coil.
4. Observe the deflection of the compass needle
inside the galvanometer.
5. Using the formula:
where is the horizontal component of the
Earth's magnetic field, is the current, θ is the
angle of deflection, and is the constant of the
galvanometer (which depends on its radius and
the number of turns of the coil), calculate .
6. Repeat the experiment with different values of
current and take the average of the results for
more accuracy.
Observations:
• Draw the magnetic field lines you plotted
around the bar magnet.
• Record the deflection angle from the tangent
galvanometer for different currents.
• Calculate the horizontal component of the
Earth's magnetic field.
Calculations:
1. For each trial, use the tangent galvanometer
reading to calculate using the formula
provided.
2. Take the average of the calculated values to get
a more accurate result.
Results:
• The magnetic field lines around the bar magnet
should show a clear pattern, with lines emerging
from the north pole and curving around to the south
pole.
• The calculated value of the Earth’s horizontal
magnetic field component can be compared with
standard values for your geographic location.
Conclusion:
• The magnetic field lines of the bar magnet were
successfully plotted.
• The horizontal component of the Earth's
magnetic field was measured using the tangent
galvanometer, providing insight into the Earth's
magnetic behavior.
Precautions:
1. Ensure the compass needle is not near any
other magnetic materials that might affect the
reading.
2. Take care to align the tangent galvanometer
precisely with the Earth's magnetic meridian.
3. Use steady current values to avoid fluctuations
in measurements.
Applications:
• The method used for calculating the Earth's
magnetic field component is crucial in
geophysics and navigation.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
▪ [Link]
t/earth/magnetic-field
▪ [Link]
ism
▪ [Link]
field-physics