AISSCE EXAMINATION: 2025-26
PHYSICS PROJECT FILE
NAME: Sapath Palit
CLASS: XII
SECTION: SCIENCE
AISSCE ROLL NO:
INDEX
Sl No Topic Page Number
1. Certificate 1
2 Declaration 2
3. Acknowledgement 3
4. Aim of Project 4
5. Introduction 5
6. Theory 6
7. Apparatus required 7
8. Law 8-9
9. Conclusion 10
10. Bibliography 11
CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that ‘Sapath Palit’ a student of class XII
of Sudhir Memorial Institute, Roll no- ‘ ’
Session : 2025-2026, has satisfactorily completed the
required Physics Investigatory Project as per the syllabus
of standard XII in the laboratory of the school.
Signature of Internal Signature of External
DECLARATION
I hereby declare that this project work titled "TO STUDY
THE EARTH’S MAGNETIC FIELD USING A COMPASS
NEEDLE-BAR MAGNET BY PLOTTING MAGNETIC
FIELD LINES AND TANGENT GALVANOMETER".
Submitted by me,‘Sapath Palit’, a student of Class XII, Roll
No.: ‘ ’.of Sudhir Memorial Institute, is my
original work and has been carried out under the guidance of
my Physics teacher as part of the CBSE syllabus for the
academic session 2025-2026.
Signature of the student
‘
’ Class XII
Sudhir Memorial Institute
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to express my special thanks of gratitude to my
teacher as well as our principal sir who gave me the golden
opportunity to do this wonderful project which also helped me
in doing a lot of research and I came to know about so many
new things. I am really thankful to them.
Secondly, I would also like to thank my parents and friends who
helped me a lot in finalizing this project within this limited time
frame.
AIM OF PROJECT
TO STUDY THE EARTH’S MAGNETIC FIELD
USING A COMPASS NEEDLE-BAR MAGNET BY
PLOTTING MAGNETIC FIELD LINES AND
TANGENT GALVANOMETER
INTRODUCTION
The study of the Earth’s magnetic field helps us understand its direction
and strength at a given location. In this experiment, the Earth’s
magnetic field is studied using a compass needle, a bar magnet, and a
tangent
galvanometer.
By plotting magnetic field lines with a compass around a bar magnet, we
can visualize the magnetic field pattern, showing how the lines emerge
from the magnet’s north pole and enter the south pole. The tangent
galvanometer is then used to measure the horizontal component of the
Earth’s magnetic field (BH). When an electric current passes through the
circular coil of the galvanometer, it produces a magnetic field that
interacts with the Earth’s magnetic field, causing a deflection in the
compass needle.
By applying the tangent law, the relationship between the current, coil
radius, and deflection angle allows us to calculate BH. Thus, this
experiment combines both graphical and quantitative methods to
understand the Earth’s magnetic field and the behavior of magnetic fields
in general.
THEORY
The Earth behaves like a giant bar magnet with its magnetic south pole
near the geographic north and its magnetic north pole near the
geographic south. This magnetic field influences compass needles,
causing them to align along the magnetic north-south direction. The
magnetic field at any point can be represented by magnetic field lines,
which indicate both direction and strength — being closer where the
field is stronger.
The tangent galvanometer is used to measure the horizontal component
of the Earth’s magnetic field (BH). It consists of a coil carrying current
and a compass needle at its center. When current flows, the needle
deflects due to the magnetic field of the coil (B). Using the tangent law,
BH=Btanθ
where θ is the deflection angle.
Thus, by plotting field lines and using the tangent galvanometer, the
Earth’s magnetic field and its components can be studied accurately.
APPARATUS REQUIRED
Bar Magnet. Protractor
.
Small Magnetic Compass. Pair of gloves
Needles
LAW
1. Coulomb’s Law of
Magnetism Statement:
The force of attraction or repulsion between two magnetic poles is directly
proportional to the product of their pole strengths and inversely proportional to
the square of the distance between them.
F=μ0/4π x (m1xm2)/r2
Where:
● F = magnetic force between poles
● m1,m2 = pole strengths
● r= distance between poles
● μ0 = permeability of free space
Application:
This law helps explain the interaction between the poles of a bar magnet and the
magnetic needle, showing how the magnetic field strength varies with distance
when plotting magnetic field lines.
2. Biot–Savart
Law Statement:
The magnetic field dBdB produced at a point by a small element of a
current-carrying conductor is directly proportional to the current (II), the length
element (dldl), and the sine of the angle (θθ) between the element and the line
joining the element to the point, and inversely proportional to the square of the
distance (rr) between them.
dB=μ0/4π x (Idlsinθ)/r2
Application:
In the tangent galvanometer, the total magnetic field at the center due to a circular
coil carrying current I is derived from this law.
For a circular coil of N turns and radius r:
B=μ0NI/2r
This relation allows the magnetic field produced by the coil to be compared with
the Earth’s magnetic field.
3. Tangent Law
Statement:
When a magnetic needle is under the influence of two mutually perpendicular
magnetic fields—one due to the Earth (BH) and the other due to a current-carrying
coil (B)—then the tangent of the angle of deflection (θ) of the needle is directly
proportional to the ratio of the magnetic fields.
tanθ=B/BH tanθ
Application:
This is the fundamental law governing the tangent galvanometer.
By measuring θθ for known current II, one can determine the horizontal component
of the Earth’s magnetic field BH.
BH=B/tanθ
4. Gauss’s Law for Magnetism
Statement:
The net magnetic flux through any closed surface is always zero.
∮B⃗⋅dA⃗=0
Implication:
This law implies that magnetic monopoles do not exist; magnetic field lines always
form closed loops emerging from the north pole and entering the south pole of a
magnet.
While plotting magnetic field lines of a bar magnet, this law explains why lines are
continuous and never begin or end abruptly.
CONCLUSION
Circuit Diagram to Study Earth’s
Magnetic Field using Tangent Galvanometer
The experiment to study the Earth’s magnetic field using a compass needle, a bar
magnet, plotted magnetic field lines, and a tangent galvanometer successfully
demonstrates the fundamental principles of magnetism. By observing the deflection
of the compass needle around the bar magnet, the pattern of magnetic field lines was
clearly established, confirming that they emerge from the north pole and curve
toward the south pole. These observations help visualize the invisible magnetic
forces that act in space.
Using the tangent galvanometer, the horizontal component of the Earth’s magnetic
field (BH) was determined by measuring the deflection produced by a known
current. The experiment shows that the needle aligns under the combined influence
of the current-carrying coil and Earth’s field, allowing BH to be calculated using
the tangent law.
Overall, the activity reinforces that the Earth behaves like a giant magnet and that
magnetic fields can be quantitatively studied using simple instruments.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. N.C.E.R.T. (2021). Laboratory Manual – Physics (Class
XII). National Council of Educational Research and Training,
New Delhi.
→ Describes experiments involving the tangent galvanometer
and measurement of Earth’s magnetic field.
2. OpenStax. (2020). College Physics – Chapter 22: Magnetism.
OpenStax, Rice University.
→ Explains the concept of magnetic field lines, bar magnets,
and the tangent law in simple terms.
3. Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham Virtual Labs. (2011). Tangent
Galvanometer Experiment. Retrieved from [Link]
→ Provides theoretical background, apparatus details, and a
virtual simulation of the tangent galvanometer experiment.
4. BrainKart. (2019). To Determine the Horizontal Component of
Earth’s Magnetic Field Using a Tangent Galvanometer.
Retrieved from [Link]
→ Gives step-by-step experimental procedure and calculation
5. IIT Roorkee Physics Lab Manual. (n.d.). To Draw Magnetic
Field Lines Due to a Bar Magnet.
→ Describes experimental setup and observation of field
patterns using a compass needle.
6. Gupta, S. L., & Kumar, V. (2014). Practical Physics.
Pragati Prakashan, Meerut.
→ Standard reference for school and college physics experiments
including magnetic field studies.