VEL’S VIDHYALAYA SR.

SEC SCHOOL
KOVILPATTI

ACADEMIC YEAR:2024-2025
PHYSICS PROJECT ON
“TO STUDY THE EARTH MAGNETIC FIELD
USING TANGENT GALVANOMETER”

SUBMITTED BY:
MITHRAJEETH .L.U
XII-A
 CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that MITHRAJEETH .L.U of class XII-A of “VEL’S

VIDHYALAYA SR SEC SCHOOL” has successfully completed his
project report in Physics on the topic “TO STUDY THE EARTH
MAGNETIC FIELD USING A TANGENT GALVANOMETER”
under the guidance of [Link] TAMIL SELVAN.

The report is the result of his efforts & [Link] report is found
worthy of acceptance as final project for the subject Physics of class
XIIth (sci).

Signature of Phyics teacher Signature of External Examiner

Signature of Principal

Institution stamp Date:

 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to express my greatest appreciation to the all individuals

who helped and supported me through the project. I am thankful to my
physics teacher [Link] Tamil Selvan for his ongoing support during
the project, from initial advice and provision of contacts in the first
stages through ongoing advice and encouragement,which led to the
final report of this physic project. A special acknowledgement goes to
our respected correspondent Mr. Nagamuthu sir, Principal Mr.
Porkamalan sir and the institution for this wonderful opportunity. I
wish to thank my parents for their undivided support. At the end,I want
to thank my friends who displayed appreciation to my work and
motivated me to continue my work.

THANK YOU!
 INDEX

1) AIM

2) INTRODUCTION

3) TANGENT GALVANOMETER

4) APPLICATIONS

5) APPARATUS AND MATERIALS REQUIRED

6) THEORY

7) PROCEDURE

8) OBSERVATION AND CALCULATION

9) GRAPH AND RESULT

10) PRECAUTIONS

11) SOURCES OF ERROR

12) CONCLUSION

13) BIBLIOGRAPHY
 AIM

The aim of this project is to study the Earth’s magnetic field and find
its value (BH) using a tangent galvanometer.

TOP VIEW OF TANGENT GALVANOMETER

 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 microteslas (0.25 to0.65 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 overtime 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
paleomagnetists in calculating geomagneticfields 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 several 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.

Near the surface of the earth, its magnetic field can be closely approximated by
the field of a magnetic dipole positioned at the center of the Earth and tilted 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 South Pole pointing towards
the geomagnetic North Pole. The north pole of a magnet is so defined because, if
allowed to rotate freely, it points roughly northward (in the geographic sense).
Since the north pole of a magnet attracts the south poles of other magnets and
repels the north poles, it must be attracted to the South Pole.
 TANGENT GALVANOMETER

PRINCIPLE:
The tangent galvanometer works on the principle of tangent law.

TANGENT LAW OF MAGNETISM:

The tangent law of magnetism states that the tangent of the angle of a
compass needle, which is influenced by a magnetic field, is directly
proportional to the ratio of the strengths of two perpendicular magnetic
fields.
In simpler terms, the tangent of the angle made by the moving needle under
the magnetic field directly indicates the strength of the perpendicular
magnetic fields.

DEFINITION:

A Tangent galvanometer, which is used to measure small amounts of electric

current.
CONSTRUCTION:
➢ The working of tangent galvanometer is based on the principle of tangent
law of magnetism.
➢ It consists of a coil of insulated copper wire wound on a circular non-
magnetic frame.
➢ It is utmost necessary that the coil wound is done in helical arrangement
otherwise, the field due to the wire will affect the compass needle, thus
inducing an error in the reading.
➢ This frame is mounted vertically on a horizontal base for support. The coil
of insulated copper wire is usually rotated on a vertical axis passing
through its centre.
➢ A small sized magnetic compass with a powerful magnetic needle is made
to pivote at the centre of this coil, such that it is free to rotate in a horizontal
plane.
➢ The circular scale is used to read the movement of this magnetic needle
which is divided into four quadrants, each ranging from 0° to90°.
➢ A pointer is attached to this needle at right angles, usually made up of thin
aluminium as aluminium is lighter in mass.
➢ The usual way of discarding possibilities of parallax is also used i.e
placing of a plane mirror below the compass needle.

WORKING:

• The instrument needle starts moving firstly under the influence of Earth's

magnetic field.

• Movement continues until the magnetic field of earth is parallel with the plane

of coil.

• Then, on application of an unknown current, a second magnetic field on the

axis of the coil which is perpendicular to the Earth's magnetic field is created.

• Hence the compass needle responds to the vector sum of the two fields.

• This deflection angle is equal to the tangent of the ratio of those two fields.
 APPLICATIONS

The tangent galvanometer has several important applications, including:

1. Measuring the Magnitude of the Horizontal Component of the

Geomagnetic Field:
It can accurately determine the strength of the Earth’s magnetic field in a
horizontal plane.
2. Comparing Galvanometer Constants:
It is used to compare the sensitivity and calibration of different galvanometers.
3. Calibration of Secondary Instruments:
The tangent galvanometer can be employed to calibrate other measuring
instruments that require precise magnetic field measurements.
 APPARATUS AND MATERIALS REQUIRED

1) Tangent Galvanometer
2) Commutator
3) Rheostat
4) Battery
5) Ammeter
6) Key
 THEORY

A tangent galvanometer consists of a coil of wire wound in multiple turns on a

circular frame, mounted vertically on a stand. When a current flows through this
coil, it produces a magnetic field at its center, perpendicular to the plane of the
coil. The tangent galvanometer operates on the tangent law of magnetism. When
the plane of the coil is aligned along the Earth’s magnetic field, the horizontal
component (BH) of the Earth’s magnetic field interacts with the magnetic field
created by the current flowing through the coil. When there’s current in the coil,
the resultant magnetic field at the center of the coil combines with the Earth’s
horizontal magnetic field. The needle inside the coil aligns with this resultant
field, creating an angle with the horizontal component .

According to the tangent law:

tan θ = B/H
Substitute B into tangent law equation where, B = μ0 NI/2R
tan θ = μ0 NI/2R/H
Simplify the equation ,
tan θ = μ0 NI/2RH
Rearrange and incorporate 4π notation.
• Note that μ0=4π × 10-7. Substitute by normalizing without constants to get :

tan θ = μ0/4π *2 π NI/RH

 PROCEDURE

[Link] the circuit connections in accordance with the circuit diagram.

2. Using spirit level, level the base and the compass needle in compass box of
tangent galvanometer by adjusting the leveling screw.
3. Now rotate the coil of the galvanometer about its vertical axis, till the
magnetic needle, its image in the plane mirror fixed at the base of the compass
box and the coil, i.e. all.
4. These three lie in the same vertical plane.
5. In this setting, the ends of the aluminium pointer should read zero-zero. If
this is not so, rotate the box without disturbing the position of the coil till at
least one of the ends of the pointer stands at the zero marks.
6. By closing the key K, the current flow in the galvanometer. Read the both
ends of the pointer. Now reverse the direction of current by using the reversing
key. When the mean values of both deflections shown by the pointer in the two
cases (i.e. before and after reversing the current) differ by more than 10, then
turn slightly the vertical coil until the two values agree. This will set the plane
of the coil exactly in the magnetic meridian.
7. By adjusting the rheostat, bring the deflection in galvanometer around 450.
The deflection should not be outside the range (300 to 600).
[Link] the reading of ammeter and the deflection of compass needle in the
box shown by two ends of pointer on the scale.
[Link] the current in the coil of galvanometer and again record the current
and deflection of needle.
[Link] changing the value of current,take four or more set of readings and plot
the graph between I and tan θ.The graph will be a straight line.
[Link] the inner and outer diameter of the coil with a half metre scale
atleast three times.
OBSERVATION AND CALCULATION
 GRAPH AND RESULT

Slope of straight line = BC/AC

m = tan θ/I
By substituting m, we get
m = μ02πN/4πRH
Then H=7.6867×10-8 T

RESULT:

The value of earth’s magnetic field by using a tangent galvanometer is

H=7.6867×10-8 T
PRECAUTIONS:
• The battery should be freshly charged.
• The magnetic needle should swing freely in the horizontal plane.
• The plane of coil must be set in magnetic meridian.
• There should be no parallax in noting down the readings of ammeter and
deflection.
• All the readings should be adjusted between 300 to 600.

SOURCES OF ERROR:
• There may a magnetic material around apparatus.
• The plane of coil will not be exactly in the magnetic meridian.
 CONCLUSION
In studying the Earth's magnetic field using a tangent galvanometer, we
conclude that this experiment effectively demonstrates the relationship between
the magnetic field strength and the deflection of the needle in response to a
current-carrying coil. By adjusting the current in the coil and observing the
needle's angle, we can apply the tangent law to determine the horizontal
component of the Earth's magnetic field.

The tangent galvanometer provides a relatively simple method to measure

Earth's magnetic field, and its accuracy depends on the careful alignment and
calibration of the device. Through consistent observations and measurements,
this experiment enables us to better understand the interaction between artificial
magnetic fields and the Earth's natural field, offering insights into basic
magnetic principles.
 BIBLIOGRAPHY

✓ Class 12 NCERT Textbook(physics)

✓ Wikipedia Reference article

✓ Illustrative Oxford book

✓ Comprehensive Physics Activities Vol-I Laxmi Publications

Pvt. Ltd

✓ Introduction to Physical science

✓ [Link]