JAWAHAR NAVODAYA

VIDYALAYA

PHYSICS INVESTIGATORY PROJECT

TOPIC : TO STUDY THE EARTH’S MAGNETIC
FIELD USING TANGENT GALVANOMETER

SUBMITTED BY : SURYA.M.S
CLASS : 12 B
ROLL NO. :
GUIDED BY :

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CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that the content in this bonafide
project work “TO STUDY THE EARTH’S MAGNETIC
FIELD USING TANGENT GALVANOMETER” in the
subject of physics has been done by Surya.M.S of
class 12 in the academic year 2022-2023
conducted by CBSE. It is further certified that
this project is that this project is the individual
work of the candidate.

Signature of the Signature of the

Subject teacher external examiner

Signature of principal
(Mr.Madhusoodanan .J)

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INDEX
1 Certificate 2
2 Acknowledgement 4
3 Aim/Objective 5
4 Introduction 6
5 About The Topic- 10
Tangent galvanometer
6 Experiment 14
7 Observation Table 16
8 Result 17
9 Conclusion 17
10 Bibliography 17
11 End of Project 18

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to thank my physics teacher, for
guiding me throughout this project work. I would also
thank our principal Mr. Madhusoodanan .J , who
helped me to set up the project and helped me in
practical works.
I would also like to thank my parents for their support
whenever I needed it. I also cannot forget to thank my
friends who helped me a lot to complete this project in
the time frame.
Finally, I would like to thank everyone involved in this

project work.

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OBJECTIVE

To study the earth’s magnetic

field using a tangent galvanometer.

 To find out the horizontal

component of earth’s magnetic field
(Bh).

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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 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 paleomagnetists 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 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

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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 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 Magnetic field, B. The field ranges between
approximately 25,000 and 65,000 nT (0.25–0.65 G).

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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

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ABOUT THE TOPIC
Tangent Galvanometer
A tangent galvanometer is an early measuring instrument used
for the measurement of electric current. It works by using a
compass needle to compare a magnetic field generated by the
unknown current to the magnetic field of the Earth. It gets its
name from its operating principle, the tangent law of magnetism,
which states that the tangent of the angle a compass needle
makes is proportional to the ratio of the strengths of the two
perpendicular magnetic fields. It was first described by Claude
Pouillet in 1837.
A tangent galvanometer consists of a coil of insulated copper
wire wound on a circular non-magnetic frame. The frame is
mounted vertically on a horizontal base provided with leveling
screws. The coil can be rotated on a vertical axis passing through
its centre. A compass box is mounted horizontally at the centre
of a circular scale. It consists of a tiny, powerful magnetic needle
pivoted at the centre of the coil. The magnetic needle is free to
rotate in the horizontal plane. The circular scale is divided into
four quadrants. Each quadrant is graduated from 0° to 90°. A
long thin aluminium pointer is attached to the needle at its
centre and at right angle to it. To avoid errors due to parallax, a
plane mirror is mounted below the compass needle.
In operation, the instrument is first rotated until the magnetic
field of the Earth, indicated by the compass needle, is parallel
with the

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plane of the coil. Then the unknown current is applied to the
coil. This creates a second magnetic field on the axis of the coil,
perpendicular to the Earth's magnetic field. The compass needle
responds to the vector sum of the two fields, and deflects to an
angle equal to the tangent of the ratio of the two fields. From
the angle read from the compass's scale, the current could be
found from a table.[2] The current supply wires have to be
wound in a small helix, like a pig's tail, otherwise the field due to
the wire will affect the compass needle and an incorrect reading
will be obtained.
A tangent galvanometer can also be used to measure the
magnitude of the horizontal component of the geomagnetic
field. When used in this way, a low-voltage power source, such
as a battery, is connected in series with a rheostat, the
galvanometer, and ammeter. The galvanometer is first aligned so
that the coil is parallel to the geomagnetic field, whose direction
is indicated by the compass when there is no current through the
coils. The battery is then connected and the rheostat is adjusted
until the compass needle deflects 45 degrees from the
geomagnetic field, indicating that the magnitude of the magnetic
field at the center of the coil is the same as that of the horizontal
component of the geomagnetic field. This field strength can be
calculated from the current as measured by the ammeter, the
number of turns of the coil, and the radius of the coils.

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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.

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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) (a is the radius of the coil)

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)

APPLICATIONS
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

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 EXPERIMENT
Aim
To determine the reduction factor of a tangent
galvanometer.
To find the horizontal intensity of the Earth’s magnetic field

Apparatus
Accumulator, Rheostat, Ammeter, Commutator, Tangent
Galvanometer

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.

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PROCEDURE
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.
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.
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

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 OBSERVATION TABLE

Mean K = 0.19682
• The reduction factor of TH = 0.19682
• Number of turns of the coil = 50
• Circumference of the coil (S) = 2πr = 50.49 cm
• Radius of the coil r = S/2π = 8.04 cm = 8.04×10-2 cm

Horizontal Intensity at the place Bh = μ0nK/2r

= 2πnK×10-7/r
= 7.6867×10-8 T

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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.

RESULT
1. The reduction factor of T.G, K = 0.19682 A
2. Horizontal Intensity at the place, Bh = 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
Wikipedia
NCERT Practical’s
Introduction to Physical Science

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