VELAMMAL VIDYALAYA ANNEXURE

Mel Ayanambakkam, Chennai-95

PHYSICS INVESTIGATORY PROJECT

ACADEMIC YEAR: 2025-2026

TOPIC: TO STUDY THE EARTH’S MAGNETIC FIELD USING A COMPASS NEEDLE

BAR MAGNET BY PLOTTING MAGNETIC FIELD LINES AND TANGENT
GALVANOMETER.

PREPARED BY:
NAME: RITHEKA S
CLASS: XII-B
DATE AND SUBMISSION:
 VELAMMAL VIDYALAYA
MEL AYANAMBAKKAM CHENNAI-95

NAME: BATCH NO:

CLASS: REGD NO:

CERTIFICATE

Certified that this is a bonafide Record of Practical work done by

Mr./Miss in
Teacher-In-Charge Submitted for the Practical Examination in on Held on VICE PRINCIPAL INTERNAL
Laboratory during the year 2025-2026.
EXAMINERS EXTERNAL EXAMINERS

Teacher-In-Charge

Submitted for the Practical Examination in on Held on

VICE PRINCIPAL INTERNAL EXAMINERS EXTERNAL EXAMINERS

 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

In the accomplishment of this project successfully, many

people have bestowed their blessings and heart pledged
support up on me, I take this opportunity to express my
gratitude to all, who have been instrumental in the successful
completion of this project.

Primarily, I express my deep sense of gratitude to the

luminary, The Principal, SR Principal and SR.HM for providing
the best of facilities and environment to bring out innovation
and spirit of inquiry through this venture.

I am deeply indebted to my teacher, without whose

constructive feedback, this project would not have been
successful. The valuable advice and suggestions for
correction, modifications and improvement did enhance the
quality of the task.

I would also like to thank my parents, friends and all the

members who contributed to this project was vital for the
success of the project.

I am grateful for their constant support and help

.
 INDEX
 CERTIFICATE
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
 INTRODUCTION
 CONSTRUCTION
 THEORY
 OBJECTIVE / AIM
 APPARATUS / MATERIAL REQUIRED
 DIAGRAM
 PROCEDURE
 GRAPH
 RESULTS
 PRECAUTIONS
 SOURCES OF ERRORS
 FACTS
 APPLICATIONS
 BIBLIOGRAPHY
INTRODUCTION:

ABOUT EARTH’S MAGNETIC FIELD:

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
Micro Tesla (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 centre 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
kilometres 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). 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). Near the
surface of the Earth, its magnetic field can be closely
approximated by the field of a magnetic dipole positioned at
the centre 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.
ABOUT TANGENT GALVANOMETER:

Definition:
Tangent galvanometer is the device which was
used to measure small amounts of electric
current. 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
due to the movement under the influence of
magnetic field is directly proportional to the ratio
of strengths of two perpendicular magnetic fields.

 In simpler words, the tangent of the angle made

by the moving needle under the magnetic field
directly indicates the strength of the
perpendicular magnetic fields.
Construction
The tangent galvanometer is constructed with a
coil of insulated copper wire wound helically
around a circular, non-magnetic frame. This helical
winding is essential to prevent the magnetic field
of the wire from influencing the compass needle,
which would lead to errors in readings. The frame
is mounted vertically on a horizontal base, and the
coil can rotate about a vertical axis through its
centre. At the centre of this coil, a small magnetic
compass with a strong magnetic needle is pivoted,
allowing it to move freely in the horizontal plane.
This needle has an aluminium pointer attached at
a right angle, enabling precise readings on a
circular scale, which is divided into four quadrants
(0° to 90° in each). The setup relies on the tangent
law of magnetism to function.
Working of Tangent Galvanometer
 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.
Theory:
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

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

H tan θ=µ 2πIN

4π R

H tan ϴ= 10^-7 2πIN

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

tanθ = µ 2πN
=
(4)
I 4π RH
radius of coil of galvanometer R, deflection and N,
the value of H can be calculated.

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

.
 TANGENT GALVANOMETER TOP VIEW OF A TANGENT GALVANOMETER

APPARATUS/MATERIALS REQUIRED:
 Tangent Galvanometer (TG),
 Commutator (C),
 Rheostat (R),
 Battery (E),
 Ammeter (A)
 Key(K)

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 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 levelling 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.al
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 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.
7.By adjusting the rheostat, bring the
deflection in galvanometer around 45o. 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 tan. 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:
1. Range of the Ammeter –
2. Least count of Ammeter –
3. Zero error in Ammeter –
4. Number of turns used (N)
GRAPH
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 30 o

and 60 . o

SOURCES OF ERROR:

1.There may a magnetic material around apparatus.

2.The plane of coil will not be exactly in the magnetic
meridian.

FACTS:

The tangent galvanometer is an early measuring

instrument for Current
The magnetic field produced by a circular coil
carrying current I is Proportional to I.
The S.I unit of magnetic field is Tesla.
The magnitude of horizontal intensity of earth’s
magnetic field is 3.5x10⁻⁵ T.
For better result while doing tangent
galvanometer experiment, the deflection should
be in between 30-degree -60 degree.

The value of μ₀ is 4πx10⁻⁷ NA⁻²

APPLICATIONS:

 T.G. 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.
 For calibration of secondary instruments.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Galvanometer:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galvanome
ter

Tangent Galvanometer (Procedure):

Comprehensive Physics Activities
Volume I: Laxmi Publications Pvt Ltd.
Tangent Galvanometer (Theory) :
Comprehensive Physics Activities
Volume I : Laxmi Publications Pvt Ltd.
 Tangent Galvanometer (Theory):
Electricity & Magnetism Virtual Lab:
Physical Sciences: Amrita Vishwa
Vidyapeetham Virtual Lab

 Google images

 Guidance from subject teachers