PHYSICS

INVESTIGATORYPROJECT

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 Study
the SUBMITTED BY: MODEET SAPEHIA
Earth’s CLASS: XII
SECTION: C
magneti ROLL NO :
c field SESSION: 2022-23
using a
compass
needle
bar
magnet
by
plotting
magneti
c field
line &
TANGEN
T
GALVAN
OMETER
.
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CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that this “Physics
Investigatory Project” on the topic “Study
the Earth’s magnetic field using a
compass needle bar magnet by plotting
magnetic field line & TANGENT
GALVANOMETER”has been successfully
completed by MODEET SAPEHIA of class
under guidance of

PGT Physics Principal

ExternalExaminer

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I have taken efforts in this project. However, it would not
have been possible without the kind support and help of
many individuals.

I would like to thank my principal

Mr_______________and school for providing me with
facilities required to do my project.

I am highly indebted to my Physics teacher,

Mr._________ ,for his in valuable guidance which has
sustained my efforts in all the stages of this project work.

I would also like to thank my parents for their continuous

support and encouragement.

My thanks and appreciations also go to my fellow

classmates and the laboratory assistant in developing the
project and to the people who have willingly helped meout
with their abilities.

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I

INDEX
S.No. Content PageNo.
1. Certificate 2

2. Acknowledgement 3

3. Objective 6

4. Introduction 7

5. TangentGalvanometer 9

6. Experiment-1 12

7. Experiment -2 16

8. Bibliography 18

9. End of project 19

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6
 Objective
 Study the Earth’s magnetic field
using Tangent Galvanometer.
 Study the Earth’s magnetic field
using a compass needle bar magnet
by plotting magnetic field line.

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 Introduction
Earth's magnetic field, also known as the geomagnetic field, is the
magneticfieldthatextendsfromtheEarth'sinteriortowhereitmeetsthesolarwin
d,a stream of charged particles emanating from the Sun. Its magnitude at
theEarth'ssurfacerangesfrom25to65microteslas(0.25to0.65gauss).Roughly
speakingitisthefieldofamagneticdipolecurrentlytiltedatanangleofabout10de
greeswithrespecttoEarth'srotationalaxis,asifthere were a bar magnet
placed at that angle at the center of the Earth.Unlike a bar magnet,
however, Earth's magnetic field changes over timebecause it is generated
by a geodynamic (in Earth's case, the motion
ofmoltenironalloysinitsoutercore).

TheNorthandSouthmagneticpoleswanderwidely,butsufficientlyslowlyfor
ordinary compasses to remain useful for navigation. However, atirregular
intervals averaging several hundred thousand years, the Earth's
fieldreversesandtheNorthandSouthMagneticPolesrelativelyabruptlyswitchpl
aces. These reversals of the geomagnetic poles leave a record in rocks
thatare of value to paleomagnetists in calculating geomagnetic fields in the
past.Such information in turn is helpful in studying the motions of continents
andoceanfloorsintheprocessofplatetectonics.

The magnetosphere is the region above the ionosphere and extends

severaltens of thousands of kilometers into space, protecting the Earth
from thecharged particles of the solar wind and cosmic rays that would
otherwisestrip away the upper atmosphere, including the ozone layer that
protectstheEarthfromharmfulultravioletradiation.

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Earth's magnetic field serves to deflect most of the solar wind,
whosechargedparticleswouldotherwisestripawaytheozonelayerthatprotects
theEarthfromharmfulultravioletradiation.Onestrippingmechanismisforgasto
becaughtinbubblesofmagneticfield,whicharerippedoffbysolarwinds.
The intensity of the field is often
measuredin gauss (G), but is generally
reported innanoteslas (nT), with 1 G =
100,000 nT.A nanotesla is also referred to
as a gamma(γ).The tesla is the SI unit of
the
Magneticfield,B.Thefieldrangesbetweena
pproximately25,000and65,000nT
(0.25–0.65G).
Near the surface of the Earth, its magnetic field can be closely
approximatedby the field of a magnetic dipole positioned at the center of
the Earth andtilted at an angle of about 10° with respect to the rotational
axis of the Earth.The dipole is roughly equivalent to a powerful bar
magnet, with its SouthPole pointing towards the geomagnetic North Pole.
The north pole of amagnet is so defined because, if allowed to rotate
freely, it points roughlynorthward (in the geographic sense). Since the
north pole of a magnetattracts the south poles of other magnets and repels
the north poles, it mustbeattractedtotheSouthPole.

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TangentGalvanometer

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CircuitDiagram

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 Applications
 TangentGalvanometercanbeusedtomeasurethemagnitudeofthehoriz
ontalcomponentofthegeomagneticfield.
 Theprinciplecanbeusedtocomparethegalvanometerconstants.

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 EXPERIMENT-1

Aim:
Study the Earth’s magnetic field using
Tangent Galvanometer(Bh).
Apparatus:
Accumulator,Rheostat,Ammeter,Commutator,TangentGalvanometer

Principle&Formulae:
 ThereductionfactorofT.GisK=I/
tanθ,whereIisthecurrentflowingthroughtheT.Gwhichproduces
thedeflectionθ.
 The horizontal intensity of Earth’s magnetic field at a place. B h
=µ0nK/2r, where n is the number of turns of the coil, µ0 = 4π×10-7
NA-
2
isthepermeabilityoffreespace,KisthereductionfactoroftheT.Gandristh
eradiusofthecoiloftheT.G.

Procedure:
Thecircuitismadeasshowninthediagram.Theplaneofthecoilismadevertical
by adjusting the leveling screws. The plane of the coil is made
byadjustingthelevelingscrews.Theplaneofthecoilismadeparallelto(90-
90)inthecompassbox.ThewholeT.Gisrotatedtoread(0-0)attheendsof the
aluminum pointer. Now the plane of the coil is in the magneticmeridian.
TheCommutatorkeysareput.Therheostatshouldbeadjus
ted for deflection in T.G between 10 and 60. For a current I,
thedeflectionsofthepointerθ1&θ2arenoted.TheCommutatorisreversed.
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The deflections of the pointer θ3&θ4 are noted. The average of the
fourreadingsisthedeflectionθ.FromthetheoryoftheT.G,I=Ktanθ.
By varying the current the experiment is repeated. Using
astringthecircumferenceofthecoilismeasured.Henceitsradiusrisfound.Let n
be the number of turns of the coil. The horizontal intensity at the
placeisgivenby,Bh=µ0nK/2r

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OBSERVATION TABLE
DeflectioninT.G
Ammeter
Sr.No. Reading θ1 θ2 θ3 θ4 Mean K
(A) =I/tanθ

1 0.15 35 35 35 35 35 0.2142

2 0.20 49 47 60 64 53.6 0.1474

3 0.25 36 36 55 58 46.25 0.2389

4 0.30 50 50 65 68 58.2 0.1860

5 0.27 45 45 64 65 53.8 0.1976

MeanK=0.19682
 Thereduction factorofTH =0.19682
 Numberofturnsofthecoil =50
 Circumferenceofthecoil(S)=2πr =50.49cm
 Radiusofthecoilr= S/2π =8.04cm=8.04×10-
2
cmHorizontalIntensityattheplaceBh =µ0nK/2r
=2πnK×10-7/r
=7.6867×10-8T

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For different values of current I, deflections are noted and values
arecalculated. Knowing K, n and r the value of horizontal intensity B h can
becalculated.

Result
1. ThereductionfactorofT.G,K =0.19682A
2. HorizontalIntensityattheplace,Bh=7.6867×10-5T

CONCLUSION
Experimentintangentgalvanometergivesthereductionfactorofgalvan
ometerandhorizontalintensityofEarth’smagneticfield.

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 EXPERIMENT-2
Aim:
Study the Earth’s magnetic field using a compass
needle bar magnet by plotting magnetic field line.
Apparatus:
White paper sheet, drawing board, adhesive, bar magnet,
iron filings and magnetic compass.

Procedure:

 Fix a sheet of white paper on a drawing board using

some adhesive material.
 Place a bar magnet in the centre of it.
 Sprinkle some iron filings uniformly around the bar
magnet.
 Now tap the board gently.
 Observe the pattern in which the iron filings arrange
themselves.

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 Use a magnetic compass to determine the direction of
the field lines.

As performed in the simulator

1. Drag the bar magnet or magnetic compass around
and observe the deflection in needle of compass
and magnetic field (B) acting on the magnetic
compass.
2. To view the magnetic field lines, click on Show

Field Lines checkbox.
3. For more detailed insights of the activity click

on Observation tab.

Observation
1. Direction in which compass needle points is the
direction of the magnetic field.
2. The strength of the magnetic field is inversely

proportional to the distance between the field lines.

3. Magnetic field lines never cross each other. It is

unique at every point in space.

4. Magnetic field lines begin at the north pole of a

magnet and terminate on the south pole.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY
 https://www.youtube.com/c/ALLINVESTIGATORYPROJECTS
 WikipediaReferencearticles
 NCERTPracticalBook
 IntroductiontoPhysicalScience
 https://www.google.co.in
 https://www.en.wikipedia.org
 NCERTPhysicsTextbook
 Class12LabManual–Physics.

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 End
ofProje
ct
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Thankyou!
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