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MUCLecture_2024_52524399

The document outlines an experiment conducted at Al-Mustaqbal University to measure the Earth's magnetic field using a tangent galvanometer. The purpose is to find the horizontal component of the magnetic field and its average value through a series of measurements involving current and compass deflection. The procedure includes detailed steps for setting up the apparatus, taking measurements, and analyzing the data to compare results with accepted values.

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9 views8 pages

MUCLecture_2024_52524399

The document outlines an experiment conducted at Al-Mustaqbal University to measure the Earth's magnetic field using a tangent galvanometer. The purpose is to find the horizontal component of the magnetic field and its average value through a series of measurements involving current and compass deflection. The procedure includes detailed steps for setting up the apparatus, taking measurements, and analyzing the data to compare results with accepted values.

Uploaded by

kevinomondi8118
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Al-Mustaqbal University

College of sciences
Department : Medical physics

Measurement of the Earth’s Magnetic Field

2023-2024

‫عملي فيزياء حياتيه‬


‫المحاظره الثانية‬
‫قياس مجال مغناطيسي لالرض‬
Experiment 1: Measurement of the Earth’s Magnetic Field

Purpose
1-Find the horizontal component in the coil Bcoil
2-Find the average value BH

Apparatus

1-Power supply
2 – voltmeter- resistance
3 –coil- compass included
4–ammeter connected in series
Introduction:

The Earth’s magnetic field is well known and heavily studied. It also is ever

present and affects any experiments in which relatively small magnetic fields

are involved. In this lab, we will use our knowledge of the magnetic field

created by currents to measure the Earth’s magnetic field in our lab. At a given

location on the Earth’s surface in the northern hemisphere, the direction of the

earth’s magnetic field is generally toward the earth’s north magnetic pole, but

directed downward at an angle θ (called the "dip angle") below the horizontal.

As shown in Figure (1) the total B field vector is related to the horizontal

component BH and the dip angle by:

Figure (1): The relationship between the earth’s magnetic field B and the horizontal
component BH at the earth’s surface in the northern hemisphere.
Apparatus

We will measure the strength of the horizontal component of the earth’s

magnetic field using a simple device called a tangent galvanometer. This

device consists of a small magnetic compass at the center of a circular coil of

wire. A power supply provides an electric current that produces a magnetic

field at the center of the coil where the compass is located. The B field of the

current is directed perpendicular to the plane of the coil and, as explained in

class, its magnitude is given by:

where N is the number of turns of wire in the coil, I is the conventional current,

where 𝜇o = 4𝜋 x 10-7 Tm/A and R is the radius of the coil. With the plane of

the coil aligned parallel to the Earth’s magnetic field, the field 1 of the coil

Bcoil will be perpendicular to the direction of BH. The Earth’s field BH tries to

align the compass needle toward magnetic north, while Bcoil tries to align it

along the east-west line.

The resultant orientation of the needle lies somewhere between these

directions depending on the relative strength of the two fields. The angle α,

shown in Figure (2), through which the needle is deflected away from the
direction of BH gives a measure of the strength of the field Bcoil relative to the

strength of the horizontal component of the earth’s magnetic field BH. In fact,

Figure (2): The deflection of the compass needle due to the magnetic field of the coil
perpendicular to the horizontal component of the earth’s magnetic field.

By calculating Bcoil from the data and reading the deflection angle off the
compass as illustrated in Figure (2), we obtain a value for BH.
Procedure

1. Measure the radius, R, of the coil, and record the value with uncertainty on

the data sheet.

2. Record the number of turns of wire N on the data sheet.

3. Place the compass at the center of the coil, let the needle settle, and align

the plane of the coil parallel to the North-South direction.

4. Carefully rotate the compass until the ends of the compass needle are

aligned with 0◦ and 180◦ on the compass scale.

5. Get three wires from the rack in the front of the room, and, connect the

circuit as described below in Figure (3).

6. Connect the ‘+’ socket in the power supply to the left-most socket in the

coils. Connect the right-most socket in the coils to the ‘Com’ socket in the

meter, and the ’mA’ socket in the meter to the ‘-’ socket in the supply.

7. Turn the dial on the meter to the milliamps setting.

8. HAVE YOUR INSTRUCTOR CHECK YOUR CIRCUIT. If OK, turn on

the power supply, and adjust the current to a value around 15 mA. Record the

current, with uncertainty, for trial 1 in Table 1 on the data sheet.

9. Read the deflection (in degrees) of each end of the compass needle. (Tap

on the compass box lightly to make sure that the compass needle is not binding

and moves freely.) Record the deflection of the north pole of the compass
needle as αN and the deflection of the south pole as αS in Table 1. Include an

estimated uncertainty in these values.

10. Repeat for four other values for the current between 5 and 25 mA.

11. Turn off the power supply and switch the leads into the power supply so

that the current will run in the opposite direction. Turn the supply back on.

12. Obtain measurements of the deflection of the compass needle at the same

currents as above.

Figure (3): Earth’s Magnetic Field - Note that each of the 3 elements of the circuit
are connected in series. Note the large power supply: large power supply large
current. Use the 20A jack and scale of the ammeter.
Analysis

1. For each value of the current, average the two measured deflection angles

and record the result as α in Table 1.


2. Calculate and record the horizontal component of the earth’s magnetic field
BH for each trial as described in the Introduction. Also determine and record
the uncertainty for each value.
3. Calculate the average of the values you obtained for BH from the five trials
and enter the result, with uncertainty, on the line provided on the data sheet.
4. Compare your value for BH with accepted values (as can be found by
Googling “Magnetic Field Earth Schenectady”) and comment on the
agreement.
1. Data

Radius of the coil R = 10 cm ; Number of turns of wire N = 500

Table 1: Measurements of current and deflection angle used to determine the


horizontal component of the earth’s magnetic field.
No. I (mA) αN αS αave Bcoil (mT) BH (mT)
1 4.9 30 32 31

2 7.3 40 40 40
3 12.5 53 55 54
4 15.3 58 58 58
5 20.2 66 66 66

Average value for BH =

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