TANGENT Galvanometer:

 A tangent galvanometer is a measuring instrument used for the

measurement of electric current. It works by using a compass needle to
compare a magnetic field generated by the unknown current to the
magnetic field of the earth. It gets its name from its operating principle, the
tangent law of magnetism, which states that –“The tangent of the angle a
compass needle makes is proportional to the ratio of the strengths of
the two perpendicular magnetic fields”.

 A tangent galvanometer consists of a coil of insulated copper wire wound

on a circular non-magnetic frame. The frame is mounted vertically on a
horizontal base provided with leveling screws. The coil can be rotated on a
vertical axis passing through its centre.

 A compass box is mounted horizontally at the centre of a circular scale. It

consists of a tiny, powerful magnetic needle pivoted at the centre of the
coil. The magnetic needle is free to rotate in the horizontal plane. The
circular scale is divided into four quadrants. Each quadrant is graduated
from 0˚ to 90˚.

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 A long thin aluminum pointer is attached to the needle at its centre and at
right angle to it. To avoid errors due to parallax, a plane mirror is mounted
below the compass needle.

 In operation, the instrument is first rotated until the magnetic field of the
earth, indicated by the compass needle is parallel with the plane of the coil.
Then the unknown current is applied to the coil.

 This creates a second magnetic field on the axis of the coil, perpendicular
to the earth’s magnetic field. The compass needle responds to the vector
sum of the two fields and deflects to an angle equal to the tangent of the
ratio of the two fields.

 From the angle read from the compass’s scale, the current could be
found from a table. The current supply wires have to be wound in a small
helix otherwise the field due to the wire will affect the compass needle and
incorrect readings will be obtained.

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 Potentiometer:

 A potentiometer is an instrument for measuring the potential

(voltage) in a circuit.

 It is a simple device used to measure the emf, internal resistance

of a cell. It consists of a board where a Constantan and Manganin
wire is fitted on it.

 It works on the principle that the potential dropped between two

points in a wire of uniform cross section is directly proportional to
the distance between the points.

 The potential difference across a particular length of the

potentiometer wire is directly proportional to the length of the wire
measured for the Pd.

 Sensitivity of a potentiometer is defined as the ratio of change in

the balancing length to the change in potential difference. It can be
increased by increasing the length of wire and reduce the current
through the circuit.

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To Determine the Reduction Factor of a Tangent
Galvanometer and Hence the Horizontal
Component of Earth’s Magnetic Flux Density At A
Place Using A Potentiometer.

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1) Tangent galvanometer 2) 1 ohm resistor
3) 10 meter potentiometer and jockey 4) One-way and four-way keys

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5) 2 rheostats 6) High resistance box
7) 2 battery eliminators 8) Galvanometer
9) Daniel cell

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If L is the balancing length when the potential difference across the
Daniel cell is applied to the potentiometer,

1.08 ∝ L - (1)

If l is the balancing length when the potential difference across the

standard resistance r is applied to the potentiometer,

𝐼×R ∝ 𝑙 - (2)

Dividing (2) by (1),

𝐼×𝑅 𝑙
=
1.08 𝐿

≡
1.08 ×𝑙
𝐼= - (3)
𝑅×𝐿
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 If this current produces a deflection θ in the tangent
galvanometer, connected in series with R,
Then,
I = K × tanθ - (4)

Where K is the reduction factor of the T.G, therefore,

𝐼
𝐾= - (5)
𝑡𝑎𝑛𝜃

Substituting for I from eqn. (3),

The reduction factor of the tangent galvanometer is

1.08 ×𝑙
K= - (a)
𝑅 × 𝐿 × tan 𝜃

If Bo is the horizontal component of the earth’s magnetic flux

density then,
µo × n K
Bo = - (b)
2a

Where,
o n is the number of turns of the tangent galvanometer
o a, the radius of the coil,
o μo is the permeability of free space.

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A. Standardizing potentiometer

4V

B. Experiment

A B

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Standardizing the Potentiometer:
1. Connections are made as in circuit diagram.

2. The potentiometer is connected in series with a battery eliminator, key and

a rheostat.

3. The positive pole of the Daniel cell E connected to the end A of the
potentiometer and the negative pole through a high resistance and
galvanometer to jockey.

4. The rheostat is adjusted to send maximum current through the circuit, so

that maximum balancing length (L) of the potentiometer is obtained.

5. Thus the potentiometer is standardized.

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 Experiment:
1. The connections are made as shown in the circuit diagram.
2. The initial adjustments of the tangent galvanometer are then made.
3. The base and head of the tangent galvanometer are leveled using a spirit
level.
4. The plane of the coil is adjusted to be in the magnetic meridian (i.e. 90-90
parallel to the plane of the coil) and the compass box is rotated to make
the pointer read zero-zero.
5. Now, the potential difference across the standard resistance (R) is applied
to the potentiometer.
6. The rheostat Rh2 is adjusted so that the pointer of the T.G indicates a
deflection around 35 ͦ.The readings of both ends of the pointers are taken.
7. The current in the T.G is reversed, using the four-way key, and the
readings of both ends of the pointer are again noted.
8. The mean deflection θ is found.
9. The experiment is repeated three more times for other deflections in the
tangent galvanometer, by adjusting Rh2. The number of turns used (n) is
noted and the radius (a) of the coil is measured.
From these readings the reduction factor of the T.G and the horizontal
component of the earth’s magnetic field at the place are calculated.

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 E.m.f of Daniel cell = 1.08 V
Length of wire balancing the E.m.f of the Daniel cell, 𝐿 = 5.32 m
Standard resistance, 𝑹 = 1 Ω

LENGTH BALANCING THE P.D

READING POINTER OF T.G
ACROSS R K
Mean Mean
Before After
TRIAL (θ) (𝒍) 𝟏.𝟎𝟖 𝒍
[ 𝑹𝑳 𝒕𝒂𝒏𝜽 ]
reversal reversal Before After
reversal reversal
(cm) (A)
1 2 3 4

1 34 34 34 34 34 310.8 310.6 310.7 0.937

2 40 40 39 39 39.5 372.5 372.5 372.5 0.919

3 46 46 44 44 45 456.7 457.3 457.0 0.929

4 50 50 49 49 49.5 533.8 533.4 533.6 0.927

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 Mean value of K = 0.928 A Value of μ0 = 4π × 10-7 Hm-1

Number of turns of Tangent Galvanometer Used, n = 5 Mean radius of the coil, a = 7.63 x 10-2 m

µo × n K
Bo =
2a

4π × 5 × 0.928
Bo = × 10-5
2 × 7.63

B = 0.3828 × 10-4 T (experimental)

True value of Bo is Bo = 0.3780 × 10-4 T (true)

Percentage error:
= (Theoretical Value – Experimental Value) ×100
(Experimental value)

= (0.3780 – 0.3828) × 100 ×10-4

(0.378) ×10-4


= - 1.2698 %
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 CURRENT (I)
REDUCTION FACTOR
I = K × tan θ
(K)
SL.NO Tan θ
(A)
(A)

1 0.948 0.67 0.635

2 0.919 0.82 0.753
3 0.929 1 0.929
4 0.927 1.17 1.084

1.4

1.2

1 Scale
0.8 x axis : 1 unit = 0.2 A
TAN Θ

0.6 y axis : 1 unit = 0.2

0.4

0.2

0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2
CURRENT I (A)

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1. Reduction Factor Of The Tangent Galvanometer On The
Basis Of The Above Project Is = 0. 928 A

2. Horizontal Component Of Earth’s Magnetic Field On The

Basis Of The Above Project Is = 0.3828 × 10-4 T

3. The percentage error in the experiment conducted to

calculate the value of the horizontal component of earth’s
magnetic flux density at the place is = - 1.2698 %

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The battery should be freshly charged.

The magnetic needle should swing freely in horizontal plane.

All the readings should be adjusted between 300 and 600 degrees.

Remove the key after each reading to prevent heating.

There may be a magnetic material around the apparatus.

The plane of coil will not be exactly in the magnetic meridian.

The connections may be loose.

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 Tangent galvanometer:

1. Tangent galvanometer 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. Tangent galvanometer can be used for measuring small currents.

4. The Tangent galvanometer is used to measure 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.

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Potentiometer:
Comparison of E.m.f’s of two cells:

Positive terminals of two cells of E.m.f’s E1

and E2 (whose e.m.f are to be compared) are
connected to the terminals and negative
terminals are connected to jockey through
a two way key and a galvanometer.

Now first key K1 is closed to establish a potential difference between the

terminals A and B. Thus by closing the key to introduce cell of emf E1 in the
circuit, null point junction Y1 is determined with the help of jockey.
If the null point of the wire is at length L1 from A,
E1 ∝ 𝑙 1
E1 = K 𝑙 1
Where, K is the potential gradient along the length of the wire.

Similarly cell having e.m.f E2 is introduced in the circuit and again null
point Y2 is determined .If length of this null point from A is L2 then,

E2 ∝ 𝑙 2
E2= K 𝑙 2

Therefore, on dividing the two equations,

𝐸1 𝐿1
=
𝐸2 𝐿2

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