Notre Dame University (Louaize)

NLC

PHS 273

Electricity and Magnetism

Experiment 7:

Inductance of solenoids, with pc interface

Prepared by:

Anthony Barsouna

George Lakkis

Submitted to:

Nibelle Skaff

Date:

7/4/2017
Introduction:
A solenoid is a long, thin loop of wire, often wrapped around a metallic core, which produces a
uniform magnetic field in a volume of space when an electric current is passed through it. A
solenoid is a type of electromagnet when the purpose is to generate a controlled magnetic field.
Also when a changing magnetic flux ∅ is produced inside a solenoid (cylindrical coil) of length l,
number of turns N and radius r, it induces an emf between the ends of solenoid such that:

d∅ d ( BA )
emf induced =−N =−N if l ≫r, the field strength B is easy to calculate and:
dt dt

π r 2 N 2 di di π r2 N 2
emf induced =−μ =−L the constant of proportionality L=μ is called the self
l dt dt l
inductance . the inductance of solenoid with l >rcan be calculated with greater accuracy by:
3
L=2.1 ×10−6 × N 2 × r × ( ) for 0< rl <1
r
l
4
Equipment used:

 Cobra3 Basic Unit

 Power supply, 12 V
 Cobra3 Universal Recorder software
 Cobra3 Function generator module
 Induction coil, 300 turns, dia. 40 mm 11006-01
 Induction coil, 300 turns, dia. 32 mm 11006-02
 Induction coil, 300 turns, dia. 25 mm 11006-03
 Induction coil, 200 turns, dia. 40 mm 11006-04
 Induction coil, 100 turns, dia. 40 mm 11006-05
 Induction coil, 150 turns, dia. 25 mm 11006-06
 Induction coil, 75 turns, dia. 25 mm 11006-07

Fig. 1: Experimental set-up.

Set-up and procedure:
A square wave voltage of low frequency (𝑓 ≈ 500 𝐻𝑧) is applied to the excitation coil L. The
sudden change in the magnetic field induces a voltage in coil L1 and creates a free damped
oscillation in the L1C oscillatory circuit, the frequency 𝑓0 of which is measured with the Cobra3
interface. Coils of different lengths 𝑙, diameters 2𝑟 and number of turns 𝑁 are available. The
diameters and lengths are measured with the caliper and the measuring tape, and the numbers of
turns are given.

Fig. 2: Set-up for inductance measurement.

1. Make sure that there are no iron components in the immediate vicinity of the solenoids.
2. Connect the power supply to the FG module first, and then connect the second power
supply to the cobra3 interface.
3. Lunch the 'Measure' program and select 'cobra 3 universal writer gauge'.
Results:
coil N 2r (cm) l± ∆ ( l )(cm) T 0 (s )
30 4.1 16.2± 0.001 0.46±0.1 × 10-5
11006-01
0
30 3.3 15.98± 0.001 0.51±0.1 × 10-5
11006-02
0
30 2.6 16.25± 0.001 0.47±0.1 × 10-5
11006-03
0
20 4.1 10.75± 0.001 0.48±0.1 × 10-5
11006-04
0
10 4.1 5.4± 0.001 0.50±0.1 × 10-5
11006-05
0
15 2.6 15.74± 0.001 0.52±0.1 × 10-5
11006-06
0
11006-07 75 2.6 15.91± 0.001 0.53±0.1 × 10-5

Table 1: table of coil data and results collected for the period.

1)

In the experiment, the inductance of various coils is calculated from the natural frequency of an
oscillating circuit.
1
ω 0=
√ L ×C
𝐶 is the capacitance of the known capacitor.
The internal resistance 𝑅𝑖 of the Cobra3 input exercises a damping effect on the oscillatory
circuit and causes a negligible shift (approx. 1%) in the resonance frequency.

The inductance is therefore represented by

T2
L= 2
4π C

The uncertainty on the inductance is:

2
∂L
√( ∂T
×α T )
The uncertainty of the time T is α t=0.000001.
The results are represented in the following table:

Number of period T0
Coil's number inductance L1(H)
turns (seconds)
11006-01 300 0.0000046 (11.42±4.963) ×10-7

11006-02 300 0.0000051 (14.03±5.503) ×10-7

11006-03 300 0.0000047 (11.92±5.071) ×10-7

11006-04 200 0.0000048 (12.43±5.179) ×10-7

11006-05 100 0.000005 (13.49±5.395) ×10-7

11006-06 150 0.0000052 (14.59±5.611) ×10-7

11006-07 75 0.0000053 (15.15±5.719) ×10-7

Table 2: represents experimental inductance L1 and the uncertainty on it.

2)

For solenoids of constant radius and length but different number of turns:

r
Ln (L1) = 2×ln (N) +ln (2.1×10-6× r× ( ¿3/4)
l
The uncertainty on Ln (L1) is given by the following formula:

αLn(L1)=√ ¿ ¿=√ ¿ ¿

coil's number ln(N) ln(L1)

11006-03 5.703 -13.640±0.425

11006-06 5.010 -13.437±0.384

11006-07 4.317 -13.399±0.377

Table 3: represents ln(L1) function of ln(number of turns)

 ln(L1) vs ln(N)
0
4.2 4.4 4.6 4.8 5 5.2 5.4 5.6 5.8
-2
-4
-6 ln(L1)
ln(L1)

Linear (ln(L1))
-8
-10
-12
-14 f(x) = − 0.17 x − 12.62
R² = 0.87 ln(N)

Figure 3: represents ln(L1) function of ln(N)

The slope of the resulting linear fit is: -0.1733

αy √N
The uncertainty on the slope is α slope= αa=
√N ∑¿¿¿¿

α slope=0.5771

slope=−0.1733 ∓0.57 71

The real slope which has the value of 2 doesn’t lie within the uncertainty of the experimental
slope
3)

For solenoids of constant radius but different length and number of turns:

L1
ln ( )= -0.75ln(l)+ln(2.1×10-6×r1.75)
N2

L1
The uncertainty on Ln ( ) is given by the following formula:
N2

L1
αLn( )=√ ¿ ¿=√ ¿ ¿
N2

coil's number ln(N) ln(L/N2)

11006-01 -1.820 -25.090±0.434

11006-04 -2.230 -24.194±0.416

11006-05 -2.918 -22.726±0.400

Table 4: represents ln(L1/N2) function of ln(N)

ln(L1/N^2) vs ln(N)
-21.5
-3 -2.8 -2.6 -2.4 -2.2 -2 -1.8 -1.6
-22
-22.5
f(x) = − 2.15 x − 29 -23
ln(L1/N^2)

R² = 1
-23.5
-24
-24.5
-25
-25.5

ln(N)

Figure 4: represents ln(L1/N2) function of ln(N)

The slope of the resulting linear fit is -2.1497

The uncertainty on the slope is given by:

αy √N
α slope= αa=
√N ∑¿¿¿¿
α slope =0.2857

Slope=-2.1497∓0.2857

The real slope which have a value o -0.75 doesn’t lie within the uncertainty of the experimental
value -2.1497∓0.2857.

4)

For solenoids of constant length and number of turns but different radii:

L1
ln ( )
N2
as a function of ln ⁡(radius r )

L1 -6 -0.75
ln( 2 )= 1.75ln(r)+ln(2.1×10 ×l )
N

L1
the uncertainty on Ln ( ) is given by the following formula:
N2

L1
αLn( )=√ ¿ ¿=√ ¿ ¿
N2

coil's number ln(radius r) ln(L1/N2)

11006-01 -3.887 -25.090±0.434

11006-02 -4.104 -24.884±0.392

11006-03 -4.342 -25.047±0.425

Table 5: represents ln(L1/N2) function of ln(r)

 -24.75
-4.4 -4.3 -4.2 -4.1 -4 -3.9 -3.8
-24.8

-24.85

-24.9
ln(L1/N^2) -24.95
l
f(x) = − 0.08 x − 25.34 -25 Linear (l)
R² = 0.03
-25.05

-25.1

-25.15
ln(r)

Figure 5: represents ln(L1/N2) function of ln(r)

The slope of the resulting linear fit is: -0.0817

The uncertainty on the slope is given by:

αy √N
α slope= αa=
√N ∑¿¿¿¿

α slope=1.1250

slope=−0.0817 ∓ 1.12 50

The real slope which has the value of 1.75 doesn’t lie within the uncertainty of the experimental
slope.
Conclusion:
In this experiment there are major errors, they are mainly attributed to systematic errors due to:

 inaccuracy in measuring the length of each solenoid

 and in using the user graphics interface in order to calculate the period T0
 bad placement of the two coils near each other
 the flux was not directed in a good way to get the maximum outcome

To solve such measuring inaccuracies, we could use more advanced measuring devices such as
digital ones due to their significance in error reduction, usage of metallic band in order to direct
better the electric field. This experiment also concludes that the increase of the inductance is with
the increase of number of turns and radius.