ANALYSIS

I. Magnetic Field of Permanent Magnets

The magnetic field follows the shape of the magnet. This implies that magnets of different

shapes form different magnetic field lines but it will always follow these two principles: (1)

magnetic field lines are directed away from the North Pole and towards the South Pole; and (2)

unlike poles attract each other while like poles repel. In this part of the experiment, iron fillings

were used to illustrate the magnetic field lines of magnets of different shapes.

For like poles of bar magnets, the iron fillings were observed to be directed away from the

North and directed into the South Pole. It was also observed that a blank space (space without iron

fillings) on the paper was visible over the space between the two North Poles of the two bar

magnets which means that there is no existing magnetic field(s) in between the two North Poles.

For unlike poles, the iron fillings were observed to be directed away from the North Pole

of the first magnet to the South Pole of the second magnet. And unlike the previous part, the space

on the paper over the two magnets was filled with the iron fillings which indicates that a magnetic

field exists between the two magnets whose unlike poles are faced against each other.

For a U-shaped magnet, the two poles of the magnet always face each other. Like the

previous parts, it still followed the direction of: away from the North Pole and into the South Pole.

In the last part, in between the two U-shaped magnets of the previous part, an iron ring was

placed. It still followed the same direction as the previous parts. Also, a gap, in the form of the

iron ring underneath, was observed in the inner part of the ring. This was because the iron ring

served as a conduction while the air inside of the iron ring served as an insulator. From the

aforementioned statements, it can be said that there is no magnetic field inside the ring.
 Overall, all the four subparts of Part I is in line with what is stated in literature. It follows

that magnetic field lines are directed away from the North Pole and towards the South Pole. Also,

similar poles attract each other while unlike poles repel each other.

II. Magnetic Force on Current-Carrying Conductor

The determination of the magnetic force (F) and its respective relationship with the

magnetic field (B), the current (I), the length of the current loop (L) and the orientation of the coil

(ϴ) was highlighted on the second part of the experiment. This was performed by keeping three

(3) variables constant and changing the variable of study per trial. Throughout all the trials in the

four subparts, the voltage was set to the maximum.

For part II.A. of the experiment, the effect of the magnetic field, B, on the magnetic force

was studied by keeping the following variables constant: current loop, current and the orientation

of the coil. It was observed that the magnetic force increases with the increase of the number of

magnets since increasing the magnets also increases the number of poles which thereby increasing

the number of forces pulling by it. Thus, the magnetic force is in direct proportionality with the

magnetic field.

The next part of the experiment highlights on what would be the effect on the magnetic

force if the current, I, is subjected to study. This was done by keeping the following variables

constant: current loop, the magnetic field and the orientation of the loop. The current was varied

from 0.0 Amp to 5.0 Amps with 0.5 increments per trial. It was observed that the magnetic force

increases upon increasing the current thereby having the magnetic force and the current in direct

proportionality with each other.

 In part II.C., the variable at study was the length of the current loop, L. This was achieved

by keeping the current, the magnetic field and the orientation of the loop constant throughout the

six trials. Different lengths of current loops were used for each trial. It was observed that as the

magnetic force increases with increasing lengths of current loops. Therefore, the magnetic force

and the length of the current loop is in direct proportionality with each other.

Lastly, for part II.D., the orientation of the coil, ϴ, was the variable at study. This part was

achieved by keeping the current, the magnetic field and the length of the current loop constant

while varying the angle ϴ by 10° increments. It was observed that as the angle between the

magnetic field and the current increases, the magnetic force also increases. Moreover, the magnetic

force was observed to be at its maximum when the angle is at 90° and minimum between 0° to

20°.

From the equation, 𝐹 = 𝐼 𝐿 𝐵 sin 𝜃, as given in the laboratory manual, it is expected that

all the variables (𝐼, 𝐿, 𝐵 and 𝜃) in determining the magnetic force of a current-carrying wire is

expected to be directly proportional to the said magnetic force. Therefore, the force becomes

greater when any of the aforementioned variables are increased. The results from the second part

of the experiment (and its subparts) were proven to be in line with what is in theory.

CONCLUSION

This experiment was aimed to study the nature of magnetic fields, to experimentally

determine the magnetic force, and to investigate the effects of its properties (length, orientation,

current and magnetic field). Furthermore, the experiment was also performed in line with the topic

Magnetism in Physics 4 (PHY13) lecture classes thereby broadening the student’s knowledge on

the concepts of the said topic.

 Magnetic fields are visualized by continuous loops or lines that are directed away from the

South Pole and towards the North Pole of the magnet. Another principle also states that unlike

poles of magnets attract while like poles repel. These two aforementioned principles were proven

to be true by the figures generated by the scattering of the iron fillings (on a paper) on top of two

magnets oriented in four different ways.

Magnetic force, as defined in The Free Dictionary, is the force exerted between a magnet

and a moving particle charged with electrons. Mathematically, this is illustrated as 𝐹 = 𝐼 𝐿 𝐵 sin 𝜃

where 𝐹 is the magnetic force, 𝐼 is the current flowing through the wire of length 𝐿, 𝐵 is the

magnetic field as produced by the magnets and the current, and 𝜃 is the angle between the current

loop and the magnetic field. From the mathematical equation, alone, it is expected that an increase

in any of the variables (𝐼, 𝐿, 𝐵 and 𝜃) results to a relative increase in the magnetic force which was

proven to be true through assessing each variable thoroughly. From the data gathered upon

conduction of the experiment, the predicted trend was observed to be true. Summing it all up, the

individual relationships of the magnetic field, the current, the length of the current loop and the

angle with the magnetic force is determined to be in direct proportionality with each other.

In the conducted experiment, the trickiest part may be when one is adjusting the current

knob to get the accurate/desired current. The knob is a bit sensitive which may cause slight

deviations to the desired current which in turn affects the results of the experiment. It is also

advisable to be attentive to the experiment conduction especially in the second part of the

experiment specifically on the part when having the battery and loop set-up on the digital balance,

the reading has to be zero when the power supply is turned off.