VELAMMAL VIDHYASHRAM

SURAPET

PHYSICS INVESTIGATORY PROJECT

ON

TO STUDY THE EARTH’S MAGNETIC FIELD USING A

COMPASS NEEDLE-BAR MAGNET BY PLOTTING
MAGNETIC FIELD LINES AND TANGENT
GALVANOMETER

NAME: PRASANNA.R
CLASS: XII
ROLLNUMBER:

SSCE -2022 -2023

 CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that PRASANNA.R of class XII A3 has successfully completed

the project on the topic TO STUDY THE EARTH’S MAGNETIC FIELD
USING A COMPASS NEEDLE-BAR MAGNET BY PLOTTING MAGNETIC
FIELD LINES AND TANGENT GALVANOMETER under the guidance of
Mrs. D VANAJA KUMARI in partial fulfillment of physics practical
examination conducted by SSCE, CBSE, New Delhi for the academic year 2024
– 2025.

Signature of teacher in charge Signature of Internal Examiner

Signature of Principal Signature of External Examiner

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

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In the accomplishment of this project successfully, many people have best owned
upon me their blessings and the heart pledged support. So I am utilizing this
opportunity to thank all the people who have been concerned with my project.

Primarily I would like to thank God almighty for giving me the strength,
knowledge and good health to complete this project with success.

Then I would like to thank our Principal for his continuous support and our
physics teacher whose whole hearted guidance helped me to patch this project
and make it full proof success. The suggestions and instructions given by them
served as the major contribution to the completion of this project.

Then I would like to thank my parents and friends who have helped me with their
valuable suggestions and guidance, which has been helpful in various phases of
the completion of this project.

Last but not the least I would like to thank my classmates who have helped me a
lot.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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 SNO. TOPICS PAGE
NO.
1 Introduction 04

2 Aim of the project 05

3 Apparatus & Materials required 06

4 Theory 07

5 Procedure 09

6 Observation 11

7 Result 13

8 Precaution 13

9 Sources of error 13

10 Bibliography 13

INTRODUCTION

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 The tangent galvanometer was first described in an 1837 by Claude-
Servais- Mathias Pouillet, who later employed this sensitive form of
galvanometer to verify Ohm’s law. To use the galvanometer, it is first set up on a
level surface and the coil aligned with the magnetic north-south direction. This
means that the compass needle at the middle of the coil is parallel with the plane
of the coil when it carries no current. The current to be measured is now sent
through the coil, and produces a magnetic field, perpendicular to the plane of the
coil and is directly proportional to the current.

The magnitude of the magnetic field produced by the coil is B; the

magnitude of the horizontal component the Earth’s magnetic field is B’.The
compass needle aligns itself along the vector sum of B and B’ after rotating
through an angle Ø from its original orientation. The vector diagram shows that
tan Ø = B/B’. Since the magnetic field of the Earth is constant, and B depends
directly on the current, the current is thus proportional to the tangent of the angle
through which the needle has turned.

AIM OF THE PROJECT

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

Tangent galvanometer made by Topview of a tangent galvanometer

J.H. Bunnell Co. around 1890. made about 1950.

APPARATUS AND MATERIALS REQUIRED

 Tangent Galvanometer (TG),
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  Commutator (C),
 Rheostat (R),
 Battery (E),
 Ammeter (A),
 Key (K), etc

THEORY

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 Tangent galvanometer is an early measuring instrument for small
electric currents. It consists of a coil of insulated copper wire wound on a circular
non-magnetic frame. Its working is based on the principle of the tangent law of
magnetism. When a current is passed through the circular coil, a magnetic field
(B) is produced at the center of the coil in a direction perpendicular to the plane
of the coil.
The working of tangent galvanometer is based on the tangent law. It
is stated as when a magnet is suspended freely in magnetic field F and H, the
magnet comes to rest making an angle θ with the direction H such that,
F = H tan θ (1)

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.
Let a current I be passed through the coil of radius R, having turns N. Then
magnetic field produced at the centre of coil is,

μ0 2 πIN
F=
4π R
(2)

Let H is the horizontal component of earth’s magnetic field and the magnetic
needle comes to rest at angle θ with the direction of H, then according Eq. (1),
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 μ 0 2 πIN
Htanθ=
4π R

−7 2 πIN
Htanθ=10
R

H=2 π ×10−7 ∈ ¿ ¿
Rtanθ (3)

by substituting the value of current I , from eq. (3),

tanθ
I
= ( )
μ0 2 πN
4 π RH
(4)

radius of coil of galvanometer R, deflection θ and N, the value of H can be

calculated.

PROCEDURE
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

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the resulting two readings for deflection averages out, any small error in
positioning the TG coil relative to the earth’s magnetic field H .

PROCEDURE FOR PERFORMING THE EXPERIMENT

1. Make 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. In this setting,

5. 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 1o, then turn slightly the vertical coil until the two values agree.
This will set the plane of the coil exactly in the magnetic meridian.

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 7. By adjusting the rheostat, bring the deflection in galvanometer around 45 o.
The deflection should not be outside the range (30o-60o).

8. Record the reading of the ammeter and the deflection of the compass needle
in the box shown by two ends of pointer on the scale.

9. Reverse the current in the coil of galvanometer and again record the current
and deflection of needle.

10. By changing the value of current, take four or more set of readings and
plot the graph between I and tanθ. The graph will be a straight line.

11. Measure the inner and the outer diameter of the coil with a half metre
scale at least three times.

OBSERVATIONS
Table 1. For variation of θwith I

S.No. Value of deflection, θ(degree) Mean tanθ Ammeter reading

For direct current For reverse (A)
current
θ1 θ2 θ3 θ4 Obs Corrected
1. 35 35 35 35 35 0.70 0.15 0.15
2. 49 47 60 64 53.6 1.36 0.20 0.20
3. 36 36 55 58 46.25 1.04 0.25 0.25
4. 50 50 65 68 58.2 1.61 0.30 0.30
5. 45 45 64 65 53.8 1.37 0.27 0.27

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 Table 2. For radius of tangent Galvanometer

S.No. Inner diameter Outer diameter Mean diameter Mean radius

d1 (cm) d2 (cm) d (cm)
−2 −2 −2 −2
1. 16.0 ×10 16.40 ×10 16.20 ×10 8.10 ×10

−2 −2 −2
2. 16.16 ×10 16.08 ×10 16.12 ×10 8.06 ×10
−2

−2 −2 −2
16.06 ×10 16.10 ×10 16.08 ×10 8.04 × 10
−2
3.

Mean radius of coil R = 8.04 × 10−2

GRAPH

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 BC
Slope of straight line = AC

tanθ
m= I

Now substitute the m in Eq. (4),

μ 0 2 πN
m= 4 π RH

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
1. The battery should be freshly charged.
2. The magnetic needle should swing freely in the horizontal plane.
3. The plane of coil must be set in magnetic meridian.
4. There should be no parallax in noting down the readings of ammeter and
deflection.
5. All the readings should be adjusted between 30o and 60o.

SOURCES OF ERROR
1. There may a magnetic material around apparatus.
2. The plane of coil will not be exactly in the magnetic meridian.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY
 Illustrative Oxford Book
 Wikipedia
 NCERT Practical’s
 Introduction to Physical Science

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