Experiment 4:

Title: Magnetic Field of a Long Straight Wire

Abstract
In an experiment to study the magnetic field of a long straight wire, a long wire is placed in a
horizontal plane and a compass needle is placed at various points near the wire. The current is
then passed through the wire, and the deflection of the compass needle is recorded at each point.
The experiment is conducted by first setting up the apparatus, which includes the long straight
wire, a DC power supply, a compass, and a ruler. The wire is placed in a horizontal plane, and
the compass is placed at different points along the wire. The current is then passed through the
wire, and the deflection of the compass needle is recorded at each point. The direction of the
deflection indicates the direction of the magnetic field of the wire. The distance between the wire
and the compass is measured using the ruler, and the strength of the magnetic field is calculated
using the formula:B = ((μ * I) / (2 * π * r))where B is the magnetic field strength, μ is the
permeability of free space, I is the current through the wire, and r is the distance between the
wire and the compass.The experiment is repeated several times at different distances from the
wire, and the data is plotted on a graph. The graph shows that the magnetic field strength
decreases as the distance from the wire increases. The experiment demonstrates the relationship
between current, distance, and magnetic field strength in a long straight wire. It also shows the
importance of careful measurement and accurate data recording in scientific experiments.

Objective: To investigate the variation of magnetic field, due to a current carrying conductor,
with distance and current.

Apparatus

o Double wire with wooden table arrangement.

o D.C. power supply
o Graph paper
o ruler, connecting wires & pencil
o Current out put 3A

Theory

The magnitude field that produced by a current-carrying conductor can be demonstrated by

deflected compass needles. Magnetic field at a point due to a current-carrying wire is directly
proportional to the current in the wire and inversely proportional to the distance from the wire.

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Figure (a), compass needle point in the direction of Earth's magnetic field (No
current flow through a wire).

In the figure (a), Compass needles are placed in a horizontal plane near a long
vertical wire. When no current is present in the wire the needle point in the
direction of the Earth’s magnetic field. The Northern needle of a compass points
towards the Earth's magnetic North Pole, while the Southern needle points towards
the magnetic South Pole.

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Figure (b),compass needle point in a direction tangent to the circle (current flows through wire).

As in Figure (b), When the wire carries a strong, steady current, the needle deflect in a direction
tangent to the circle. These observations demonstrate that the direction of the magnetic field
produced by the current in the wire is consistent with the right-hand rule.

As the distance from the conductor increases, the strength of magnetic field
decreases, the inverse is true.
B = (μ0I) / (2πr)
where: B= is the magnetic field

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 μ0= is the permeability of free space
I= is the current, and
r= is the distance from the wire

The magnetic field of the earth and the magnetic field of the current carrying wire combine
vectorially and their resultant can be detected by a compass needle that aligns itself always with
the resultant, Earth’s magnetic field cannot switch off.

Procedure
First the long wire was connected to DC power supplier to produce rectangular loop of wire.
Their was straight wire that pass perpendicularly to the woodentable.Apeace of graph paper and
a compass needle were placed on the table.

when the loop was with out the flow of current,thecompass needle was in the direction of Earth's
magnetic field (The Northern needle of a compass points towards the Earth's magnetic North
Pole, while the Southern needle points towards the magnetic South Pole).

By the time, When the current was switched on, the compass needle was deflected by some angle
ϴ with the North-South line pointed the needle a deflect in a direction tangent to the circle.

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Figure (c), compass deflection

BE: horizontal component of earth’s magnetic field vector.

Bwire: magnetic field due to the current I.
Btotal: resultant magnetic field deflected
compass needle.
From the diagram above, we see that
tanϴ= Bwire/BE = μ0I/2πrBE
and, therefore,
Bwire=BE tanϴ
tan ϴ ~ Iandtan ϴ ~ 1/r
The tangent of ϴ is directly proportional to the
current and inversely proportional to the
distance.

The aim of the experiment was to prove to prove this

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 I. We used a constant current of 1A in different distance starting from the center at
which the wire was cross the table.
II. The distance(r) starting from the center r=2cm, 4cm, 6cm, 8cm was marked up on
the graph paper.
III. We repeat the trials starting from farther to closer distance.

Data/Observations – 1

Constant Perpendicular distance (cm) Angle of deflection (ϴ)

Current (A) from the wire

r1=2cm ϴ1=21°

I= 1A r2=4cm ϴ2=12°

r3=6cm ϴ3=9°

r4=8cm ϴ4=4°

Table - 1 shows that, Deflection of angle with in constant current and different distance from the
center.

Here on the second observation, we used only one wire arrange without any current the compass
needle in a distance of r = 2cm direct toward North-South line crossing the wire.

Then from the DC-currents I= 0A, 1A, 2A and 3A marked with different distance on the graph
paper, resulting with in different angular deflection on the compass.

Data/Observations - 2

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Perpendicular distance (cm) Current (A) Angle of deflection (ϴ)
from the wire

I1=0A ϴ1=0°

I2=1A ϴ2=21°
r= 2cm I3=2A ϴ3=32°

I4=3A ϴ4=40°

Table - 2 shows that, Deflection of angle with in constant distance from the wire that pass
through wooden table and different amount of DC- current.

Data Analysis
The horizontal components of earth magnetic field be calculated as

𝑡𝑎𝑛𝜃 =Bwire/BE

BE=Bwire/2πrtanϴ
Bwire=µ0I
µ0=4π × 10-7T.m/A
For a constant current (observation- 1)
=>For the length(r)= 2cm= 2x10-2current (I)= 1A

BE=4𝛑x 10-7T.m/A ×1A/2πrtan(21°)

=2.0× 10-7T.m/0.76 × 10-2m

=2.6 × 10-5
=> For the length (r)= 4cm= 4×10-2. Current(I)= 1A

BE= 4𝛑 x 10-7T.m/A × 1A/2πrtan(12°)

= 2.0 × 10-7T.m/ 0.84 × 10-5m

=2.4 × 10-5 T
=> For the length(r)= 6cm= 6 x10-2 current (I)= 1A

BE= 4𝛑 x 10-7T.m/A × 1A/2πrtan(9°)

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 = 2.0 × 10-7T.m/0.9×10-2m
=2.2 × 10-5
=> For the length(r)= 8cm= 8 x 10-2

BE= 4𝛑 x 10-7 T.m/A × 1A/2πrtan(4°)

=2.0 × 10-7T.m/1.2 × 10-2m

=1.6 × 10-5

ϴ
21°

12°

9°

4°

02 46 8cm

Asdistance increasesthe deflection angle decreases

For a constant length ( observation - 2)
=>forthe current (l)=0ALength (r)=2cm=2=x10-2

Be=4𝛑x 10-7T.m/A × 0A/2πrtan(0°)

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 =undefined

=>for the current (l)= 1A Length (r)=2cm=2=x10-2

Be= 4𝛑 x 10-7T.m/A × 1A/2πrtan(21°)

=2.0 × 10-7T.m/ 0.76 × 10-2m

= 2.6 ×10-5T

=>for the current (l)= 2A Length (r)=2cm=2=x10-2

Be= 4𝛑 x 10-7T.m/A × 2A/2πrtan(32°)

= 4.0 × 10-7T.m/ 1.24 × 10-2m

= 3.20× 10-5 T

=>for the current (l)= 3A Length (r)=2cm=2=x10-2

Be= 4𝛑 x 10-7T.m/A × 3A/2πrtan(40°)

= 6.0 × 10-7T.m/ 1.6 × 10-2m

= 3.8 × 10-5 T

(I)
3A

2A

1A
21° 32° 40°ϴ
Deflection angle increases with current

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Conclusion

Based on the results of the experiment, the conclusion was that a long straight wire carrying a
current produces a magnetic field. This magnetic field interacts with the Earth's magnetic field,
causing the compass needles to align perpendicular to the wire, indicating the direction of the
magnetic field.

On the first experiment, we kept constant the current on the wire at 1A and increased the distance
r from 2cm to 8cm. The deflection of the compass needle was initially measured to be 21°and the
final measurement at r=8cm was 4°. As the distance r increased, the strength of the magnetic
field decreased. This is consistent with the theory. As thedistance r increase, the strength of the
magnetic field should decrease.

From the experiments conducted on the second experiment, it was also observed that the
magnetic field strength increases as the current flowing through the wire increases.

the magnetic field of a current carrying wirewas measured starting from 0A in increasing
implements of 0A to 3A. This was done for r=2cm. The deflection angle of the compass needle
was initially measured to be 0° and the final measurement at 3A was 40°. As the current of the
wire increase, the strength of magnetic field also increase.

The direction of the field is given by the right-hand rule, where the direction of the magnetic
field lines can be determined by the orientation of the fingers on the right hand, wrapped around
the wire in the direction of the current, with the thumb pointing in the direction of the magnetic
field.

This experiment demonstrates the fundamental principles of electromagnetism, and has many
practical applications in various fields.

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Source of error
On this experiment there was some error, that occurs in cases of instrumental malfunction.
However, the experiment demonstrated the theory that, As the distance r increase, the strength of
the magnetic field decrease and magnetic field strength increases as the current flowing through
the wire increases.

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