THEORY

Magnetic field is the region around the magnet where we are able to detect magnetic
force of the magnet. Magnetic Field Lines are imaginary lines along which North
Magnetic Pole would move. These line shows direction of Magnetic Force and its
strength. These are curved lines which star from North Pole and moves towards South
Pole. It may also be defined as the path along which a unit north pole would tend to
move if free to do so. No two magnetic field lines can intersect 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 center of a small
circular brass case provided with a glass top.
 PROPERTIES OF MAGNETIC
FIELD LINES

They form closed loop.

They never intersect each other.

The magnetic field lines are crowded near the pole where the field is strong and spread
apart from each other where the field is weak.

They flow from the South Pole to the North Pole within a magnet and North Pole to South
in outside the magnet.
 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 orienting the magnet in a particular direction.
 ELEMENTS 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.

MAGNETIC DECLINATION:
The angle between the geographic meridian and the magnetic meridian at a place is called as the
magnetic declination at that place.
It changes over time and with location.

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 feely suspended magnetic needle with the horizontal.

HORIZONTAL COMPONENT OF EARTH'S

MAGNETIC FIELD:

The component of the earth's total magnetic field along the

horizontal directions called the horizontal-component of the
earth's magnetic field.
If 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 =Bcosö

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.

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. At any neutral point,
Horizontal component of earth's magnetic field =Field of the magnet at equatorial point
(b) Magnet placed in the magnetic meridian with its S-Pole
pointing north. The two neutral points P and Q lie on the axial
line near the ends of the magnet. At any neutral point,

BH=Baxial
 PROCEDURE

Fix a sheet of paper on the drawing board with brass pins or cellotape.

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 minimized 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.

Place the bar magnet symmetrically n the middle of the line, with its North Pole pointing towards north.
Mark the boundary with a sharp pencil. Check the position of the magnet and the board is not disturbed
during the experiment.

Place the compass needle near the pole of the magnet. Tap it gently and mark two do against the south
and north
and mark a third point 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.

Plot 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 are in opposite direction. If the compass needle is moved, the direction of the field
reverses. This region is the neutral point region. There is another similar region around the
point Q.

To 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 region point region, place the plotting compass at such a
position by trial and error that it's needle stays in any direction and has no preferred
direction. Mark the circular boundary of the compass needle. The center of the circular
boundary gives the position of the neutral point. In this manner locate both the neutral points
along the equatorial 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.

Locate the N and S Pole 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 the inside the magnet at
point N and S.
 PRECAUTIONS
Mark the boundary of the drawing board and that of the magnet. The board and the magnet
should not be disturbed throughout the experiment.

There should be no magnetic material near the working table.

Tap compass needle gently every time so as to avoid its sticking.

The poles of the magnet should be located more accurately.

The directions of the lines of force should be indicated by arrowheads.

 BIBLIOGRAPHY

Following books and websites were source for my project:

[Link]
[Link]
Physics Lab Manual