1

Index
[Link]. Topic Page
No
1 Aim 5
2 Introduction 6-10
Tangent galvanometer 11-
3
15
Application 15-
4
16
Apparatus and material 16
5
required
Theory 17-
6
20
Procedure 21-
7
23
Observation and 24-
8
Calculation 25
Graph and Result 26-
9
27
10 Precautions and Sources 27-
 2

of error 28
Facts 28-
11
29
12 Bibliography 29

Aim
To study the earth’s magnetic field
using a compass needle bar magnet
by plotting magnetic field lines and
tangent galvanometer.

Tangent galvanometer
 3

Top view of 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
 4

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
 5

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
 6

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 (γ ). 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).
 7

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
 8

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.
 9

TANGENT
GALVANOMETER
Principle:-
The tangent galvanometer works on the
principle of tangent law.
 10

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:-
 11

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.
 12

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
pivote 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
 13

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 a plane mirror below the
compass needle.

Working:-

 The instrument needle starts

moving firstly under the influence of
Earth's magnetic field.
 14

 Magnetic field of the Earth is

parallel with the plane of coil.

 Then, on application of an unknown

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.

APPLICATIONS
 15

1) T.G. can be used to measure the

magnitude of the horizontal
component of the geomagnetic field.

2) The principle can be used to

compare the galvanometer constants.

3) For calibration of secondary

instruments.

PPARATUS AND MATERIALS

REQUIRED

Tangent Galvanometer (TG),

Commutator (C),
Rheostat (R).
Battery (E).
 16

Ammeter (A)
.Key (K),
 17

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

Eq 1: F=H tanθ
 18

Fields B and Bh, it comes to rest making

an angle θ 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,

μ 02 πIN
Eq 2: F=
4π R
 19

Let H is the horizontal component of

earth's magnetic field and the magnetic
needle comes to rest at angle θ with the
direction of H, then according Eq. (1),
μ 0 2 πIN
Htanθ=
4π R

−7 2 πIN
Htanθ=10
R

−7 ∈¿
10
Eq 3 : H=2 π × ¿
R tanθ

By substituting the value of current 1,

from eq. (3),
μ 0 2 πN
Eq 4 : tanθI=
4 π RH

Radius of coil of galvanometer R,

deflection θ and N, the value of H can be
calculated.
 20

Circuit Diagram
 21

PROCEDURE
Connections are made as shown in the
figure given below, where K is the key, E
the battery. A 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 coils relative to the
earth's magnetic field H.

PROCEDURE FOR
PERFORMING THE
EXPERIMENT
 22

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
levelling 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, i.e. all
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.
 23

6. By closing the key K, the current flow in

the galvanometer. Read 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 than1 , then turn
0

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.
 24

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 tanθ. 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 1. For variation of θ with I
S. Value of deflection Me ta Ammeter
No θ (degree) an nθ Reading (A)
 25

For For
direct reverse
current current
Corre
θ1 θ2 θ3 θ4 Obs cted
0.
1 35 35 35 35 35 70 0.15 0.15
53. 1.
2 49 47 60 64 6 36 0.20 0.20
46. 1.
3 36 36 55 58 25 04 0.25 0.25
58. 1.
4 50 50 65 68 2 61 0.30 0.30
53. 1.
5 45 45 64 65 8 37 0.27 0.27

Table 2, For radius of tangent

galvanometer
 26

Inner Outer Mean Mean

S,n
diameter diameter diameter radius
o.
d1 (cm) d2 (cm) d (cm)
1 16.0 ×10
−2 −2
16.40 ×10 16.20 ×10
−2
8.10 ×10
−2

2 16.16 ×10
−2 −2
16.08 ×10 16.12 ×10
−2
8.06 ×10
−2

3 16.06 ×10
−2 −2
16.10 ×10 16.08 ×10
−2
8.04 × 10
−2

Mean radius of coil R= 8.04 ×10

−2

Graph
 27

BC
Slope of straight line=
AC

tanθ
m=
I

Now substitute the m in Eq. (4),

μ 02 πN
m=
4 π RH

Then, −8
H=7 .6867 × 10 T
 28

RESULT
The value of earth's magnetic field by
using a tangent galvanometer is
−8
H=7 .6867 × 10 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°.0
 29

SOURCES OF ERROR
1. There may be magnetic material near
the apparatus. around apparatus.
2. The plane of the coil may not be
exactly in the magnetic meridian.

FACTS
The tangent galvanometer is an early
measuring instrument for Current
The magnetic field produced by a
circular coil carrying current 1 is
Proportional to 1.
The S.I unit of magnetic field is Tesla.
The magnitude of horizontal intensity
of earth's magnetic field is 3 . 5× 10 T .
 30

 For better result while doing tangent

galvanometer experiment, the
deflection should be in between 30°-
60°.
 The value of μ is 4 π × 10 N A .
0
−7 −2

BIBLIOGRAPHY
 Mr. Nazim Hussain (PGT Physics)
 [Link]
 [Link]
 [Link]
 [Link]
 [Link]