MAPUA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Department of Physics

E401: MAGNETIC FIELDS AND

MAGNETIC FORCE
SAMBUA, Karla Coleen A.
2014105353 BSIE-2 Group 5
PHY13L-A4

SCORE:

Analysis& Conclusion
/40
Presentation /20

TOTAL

Engr. Ericson D. Dimaunahan

Instructor
28 July 2016

ANALYSIS

Different kinds of apparatuses and procedures were practiced and applied in this experiment. It
was done to study the different factors that can affect the magnetic field and magnetic force produced
in a current-carrying conductor and in a permanent magnet. The experiment was divided by two
parts; the first one is the determination of magnetic field lines produced in a permanent magnet and
the other one is to find how much magnetic force is exerted in a current-carrying conductor.

For the first part of the experiment, iron fillings were used to trace the magnetic fields in a
permanent magnet. Two types of magnets (bar and U-shaped) were used to visualize the effect of
magnetic poles on the magnetic field made by these magnets. Three different setups were done with
each pair of magnet adjacent to each other but were arranged uniquely. The first arrangement is that
the like poles of the bar magnets were positioned on the same side while on the second setup; it is
the reciprocal where the opposite poles were together. The second setup was repeated but with the
different kind of magnet (U-shaped). The last setup was done by placing an iron ring at the center of
the two adjacent U-shaped magnets for the determination of the effect of non-magnetic material to
the magnetic fields. After performing the three setups and tracing the lines and paths formed by the
iron fillings, the performers were able to apprehend that the magnetic poles has an effects in its own
magnetic field and the magnetic field exerted by the other magnetic material due to the difference in
the figure formed in each setup. Academically, magnetic field lines move away the north pole and
move toward the south pole of the magnet and this was observed and proven in the experimental
setup where the magnets were placed adjacent to each other. Furthermore, the iron fillings follow the
direction of each other, excluding the fact the like poles where adjacent to each other. It is also seen
where a ring was placed on the center of the two U-shaped magnets, wherein there was no iron filling
present at the center of the ring, meaning there was magnetic field present either. On the contrary,
the group did not see any junction or overlapping of the iron fillings indicating that there is a repulsive
force between the lines that prevented the mentioned theory.

On the second part of the experiment, the magnitude of the magnetic force exerted by a
current-carrying conductor was observed and was done in four sub sections in which in every sub
section, one parameter was changing while the others are held constant. The effect of the magnetic
field in the magnetic force was examined. By increasing the number of magnets used, the performers
were also able to increase the magnetic force as well. In the six trials, the results are most uncertain
while there are three and four magnets present because the magnitude of the magnetic force did not
 0.8

0.6
f(x) = 0.13x - 0.16

Magnetic Force (N) 0.4

0.2

0
0 2 4 6 8
Number of magnets
vary. It can be considered inaccurate because the magnetic
force should increase as the magnetic field increases. In the equation generated using linear
regression as seen in the Figure 1, there is an approximately 20% error in contrasting the recorded
value of the magnetic force and the computed value using the linear equation. The reason for the
errors could be the values given by the digital balance used in the experiment. The results can be
more accurate if the digital balance was configured to give the mass in at least four decimal places
because the difference between each trial could be very small and can only be detected by the
present of configuration. Another factor that was scrutinized is the amount of current flowing. 10 trials
were performed and the current was increased using the power supply with an increment of 0.5 per
trial. In the data gathered, the digital balance gave a unique value in every trial so it was clearly seen
that the magnitude of the magnetic force is increasing with the current, which agrees to the theory.
The length of the conductor was also studied using 6 current loops of different equivalent lengths.
Again, some inaccuracies were noticed in this sub-section. The first two trials (SF 40 and SF 37) gave
us a reading of zero. Nonetheless, the remaining loops gave us an increasing value, which what it

2.5
2 f(x) = 0.46x - 0

1.5
Magnetic Force(N) 1
0.5
0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Current (A)
was supposed to be, according to the phenomenon.
Additionally, the group was able to realize another source of error from the previous sections which
was the chosen current loop. For the first sub-section, current loop SF37 was used which has an
equivalent length of 2.2 cm. The length of the current loop when multiplied to a small magnitude of
current or magnetic field would give a negligible value. This source of error was proven when the
linear equation of the relationship of magnetic force and current was formed. Comparing it to the first
sub-section, the results of the equation only gave us a percentage difference of 1%-5%. Lastly, the
effect of the angle between the magnetic field and the current to the magnitude of the magnetic force
was looked out. The angle was adjusted from 0 degrees to -90 degrees, which is good for 20 trials,
using the current balance accessory unit. A negative magnitude of the magnetic force was observed
when the angle was set to negative indicating a change in Figure 1 the direction of the magnetic
force. Common values among the trials were also observed. Based from the experimental data, the
angle between the magnetic field and the current varies directly to the magnetic force which is the
expected result.
CONCLUSION

After performing the experiment, the behavior of magnetic files around poles was
inspected. It was seen and proven that the magnetic field of a certain magnet continuously moves
excluding the polarity of the other magnets beside it, the shape of the magnet and the present of non-
magnetic materials. It also proved that non-magnetic materials do not produce magnetic fields
because while the iron was placed at the center of the ring, iron fillings were not present, denoting
that absence of magnetic field. As an addition to that, the group was also nurtured about the
magnitude of a magnetic force on a current-carrying wire and its relationship with the other variables
such as the number of magnets (characterizes the magnitude of the produced magnetic field), the
current flowing through the current loop, its length and the angle between the uniform magnetic field
and the current carrying conductor. On the second part of the experiment, the effect of varying these
factors while the others were set as constant and were observed one by one. The performers of the
Figure 2 experiment were able to validate the relationship between the variables which can be
summed up using the formula:
F= ILBsin
where F is the magnetic force, I is the amount of current flowing to the electric conductor, B is the
magnetic field and is the angle between I and B. Simplifying the results of the gathered data in the
second part of the experiment, the parameters studied in the experiment are all directly proportional
to the magnitude of the magnetic force.

Overall, the experiment was able to meet its objective which was to promote deeper
understanding to the concept of magnetic fields and magnetic force although some discrepancies in
the results were encountered in the actual experimentation. For future study, further improvements in
the second part of the experiment are suggested for better results. One is the use of a different
balance that gives masses with 3-4 decimal places so that small changes between the values in two
succeeding trial can be noted. Also, selection of SF 42 current loop which is the longest is suggested
especially if no replacement balance can be use since this could give higher results in sections A,B
and D; thereby minimizing the chances of getting common values in every trial.