PHYSICS

PROJECT
AIM: ‘‘STUDY OF THE
EARTH’S MAGNETIC
FIELD USING A TANGENT
GALVANOMETER’’

Siddharth Agrawal
 NARAYANA E-TECHNO SCHOOL, INDORE
(AFFLIATED TO C.B.S.E)

SESSION: - 2024-25

PHYSICS- INVESTIGATORY PROJECT ON

‘‘STUDY OF THE EARTH’S MAGNETIC FIELD USING A
TANGENT GALVANOMETER’’

SUBMITTED BY- SIDDHARTH AGRAWAL SUBMITTED TO-

CLASS- 12th (PCM) DESIGNATION-

REMARKS-
 CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that this "Physics Investigatory Project" on

the topic "Tangent Galvanometer" has been successfully
completed by Siddharth Agrawal of class XII - A under the
guidance of _____________________ in particular
fulfilment of the curriculum of Central Board of Secondary
Education {CBSE} leading to the award of annual
examination of the year 2024-25.
 ACKNOWLEDGMENT

I extend my hearty thanks to our physics teacher,

_______________, who guided me to the successful
Completion of this project. I take this opportunity to Express
my deep sense of gratitude for his valuable Guidance,
constant encouragement, constructive Comments and
immense motivation which sustained my efforts at all
stages of this project work.
 Index

S.No. Content Page No.

1. Certificate 2
2. Acknowledgements 3

3. Aim/Objective 6
4. Introduction 7
5. About the topic - Tangent 9
Galvanometer
6. Experiment 12
7. Observation Table 14
8. Result 15
9. Conclusion 15
10. Bibliography 16
11. End of project 17
 Objective

 To determine the reduction factor

of the given tangent galvanometer
(K).

 To component of earth's magnetic field

(Bh). find out the horizontal.
 INTRODUCTION
Earth's magnetic field, also known as the geomagnetic field,
is the magnetic field that extends from the Earth's interior to
where it meets the solar wind, a stream of charged particles
emanating from the Sun. Its magnitude at the Earth's
surface ranges from 25 to 65 microtears (0.25 to 0.65
gauss). Roughly speaking it is the field of a magnetic dipole
currently tilted at an angle of about 10 degrees with respect
to Earth's rotational axis, as if there 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 time
because it is generated by a geodynamic (in Earth's case,
the motion of molten iron alloys in its outer core). The North
and South magnetic poles wander widely, but sufficiently
slowly for ordinary compasses to remain useful for
navigation. However, at irregular intervals averaging
several hundred thousand years, the Earth's field reverses,
and the North and South Magnetic Poles relatively abruptly
switch places. These reversals of the geomagnetic poles
leave a record in rocks that are of value to paleomagnetic
in calculating geomagnetic fields in the past. Such
information in turn is helpful in studying the motions of
continents and ocean floors in the process of plate tectonics.
The magnetosphere is the region above the ionosphere and
extends severa tens of thousands of kilometers into space,
protecting the Earth from the charged particles of the solar
wind and cosmic rays that would otherwise strip away the
upper atmosphere, including the ozone layer that protects
the Earth from harmful ultraviolet radiation.

Earth's magnetic field serves to deflect most of the solar

wind, whose charged particles would otherwise strip away
the ozone layer that protects the Earth from harmful
ultraviolet radiation. One stripping mechanism is for gas to
be caught in bubbles of magnetic field, which are ripped off
by solar winds.
The intensity of the field is often measured in gauss (G), but
is generally reported in nanoteslas (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 Magnetic field, B. The field ranges
between approximately 25,000 and 65,000 nT (0.25– 0.65
G).
 ABOUT THE TOPIC
Tangent Galvanometer:
Electric current is often measured using an instrument
called a tangent galvanometer. Able to measure the
presence as well as the direction and power of currents, the
instrument was first used in the early 1800s. It typically has
a vertical copper wire coil, wrapped around a circular frame,
and a compass in the middle. The compass needle
generally responds to the magnetic field of the electrical
current, which is compared to the Earth’s magnetic field in
the experiment. This scientific instrument has been built in
many forms and more modern ones often use beams of
light to determine measurements, while some versions are
used to measure the magnetic field of the Earth The
instrument works based on the tangent law of magnetism.
This principle defines the tangent of the angle, traveled
through by the compass needle, as being proportionate to
a ratio of how strong two magnetic fields are. These fields
are usually perpendicular to one another. Currents
measured are typically proportional to the tangent of the
same angle the needle goes through.
Circuit Diagram:

When a bar magnet is suspended in two magnetic fields B

and Bh, it comes to rest making an angle θ with the direction
of Bh.
From Figure, B = Bh tanθ. This is known as tangent law of
magnetism.
If θ is the deflection of the needle, then according to tangent
law,
B = Bh tanθ (1)
Let I be the current passing through the coil of radius a
with n turns, then the magnetic field generated by the
current carrying coil is,
B = µ0nI/2a (2)
Equating (1) and (2), we get
Bh tanθ = µ0nI/2a (3)
 2aBh/µ0n = I/tanθ (4)
The left-hand side of equation (4) is a constant and is
called the reduction factor K of the given Tangent
Galvanometer.
K = I/tanθ (5)
Now from the equation (3) & (5), the horizontal intensity of
Earth’s magnetic field Bh is,
Bh = µ0nK/2a (6)
 APPLICATION
 Tangent Galvanometer can be used to measure the
magnitude of the horizontal component of the
geomagnetic field.
 The principle can be used to compare the
galvanometer constants
 EXPERIMENT
Aim:
1. To determine the reduction factor of the given tangent
galvanometer (K).
2. To find out the horizontal component of earth’s
magnetic field (Bh).
Apparatus:
Tangent galvanometer (TG), commutator (C),
rheostat (R), battery (E), ammeter (A), key (k),
connecting wires, meter scale etc.

Connections are made as shown in the figure given below,

where K is the key, E the battery, A the ammeter, R the
rheostat, C the commutator, and T.G the tangent
galvanometer. The commutator can reverse the current
through the T.G coil without changing the current in the
rest of the circuit. Taking the average of the resulting two
readings for deflection averages out, any small error in
positioning the TG coil relative to the earth’s magnetic field
Bh .
Principle & Formulae:
▫ The reduction factor of T.G is K=I/tanθ, where I is
the current flowing through the T.G which
produces the deflection θ.
▫ The horizontal intensity of Earth’s magnetic field
at a place. Bh = µ0nK/2r, where n is the number
of turns of the coil, µ0 = 4π×10-7 NA-2 is the
▫ permeability of free space, K is the reduction
factor of the T.G and r is the radius of the coil of
the T.G
Procedure:
1. The circuit is made as shown in the diagram. The plane
of the coil is made vertical by adjusting the leveling screws.
The plane of the coil is made by adjusting the leveling
screws. The plane of the coil is made parallel to (90-90) in
the compass box. The whole T.G is rotated to read (0-0) at
the ends of the aluminum pointer. Now the plane of the coil
is in the magnetic meridian.

2. The Commutator keys are put. The rheostat should be

adjusted for deflection in T.G between 10 and 60. For a
current I, the deflections of the pointer θ1 & θ2 are noted.
The Commutator is reversed. The deflections of the pointer
θ3 & θ4 are noted. The average of the four readings is the
deflection θ. From the theory of the T.G, I=K tanθ.

3. By varying the current the experiment is repeated. Using

a string the circumference of the coil is measured. Hence
its radius r is found. Let n be the number of turns of the coil.
The horizontal intensity at the place is given by, Bh =
µ0nK/2r

OBSERVATION TABLES

Mean K = 0.19682
 The reduction factor of TH = 0.19682
  Number of turns of the coil = 50
 Circumference of the coil (S) = 2π= 50.49 cm

Mean radius of coil R= 8.04x10−2

Horizontal Intensity at the place Bh = µ0nK/2r
=2πnK×10-7 /r
=7.6867×10-8 T

For different values of current I, deflections are noted and

values are calculated. Knowing K, n and r the value of
horizontal intensity Bh can be calculated.

For different values of current I, deflections are noted and

values are calculated. Knowing K, n and r the value of
horizontal intensity Bh can be calculate
Graph:

Slope of the straight line = BC/AC

m = tanθ/I (1)
Now, substitute (1) in formula = μ0 2πN/4π RH
Then, H = 7.6867×10-5 T

Conclusion:
Experiment in tangent galvanometer gives the reduction
factor of galvanometer and horizontal intensity of Earth’s
magnetic field.
 BIBLIOGRAPHY
 Illustrative Oxford Book
 http://en.wikipedia.org
 Comprehensive Practical Physics
 www.wisegeek.com
 www.britannica.com
 www.amrita.ed