TO STUDY THE EARTH’S

MAGNETIC FIELD
USING A TANGENT GALVANOMETER
 INDEX
S.NO. CONTENT PAGE NO.
1. Acknowledgement 3
2. Introduction 4
3. About The Topic-Tangent
galvanometer
5
4. Experiment 6
5. Observation Table 8
6. Result 9
7. Conclusion 10
 Acknowledgement
Primarily I would like to thank God for helping me to complete this project on time. Then I would like to thank my Physics teacher
Uttam sir , whose valuable guidance has been the one that helped me complete this project. His suggestions and his instructions
served as a major contribution towards the completion of the project.

I also wish to acknowledge my heart full thanks my parents and friends who helped me to complete the project in time.
 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 from25 to 65 micro teslas (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).

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
 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 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.
 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^-7NA^-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.
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, B
h= µ0nK/2r
 OBSERVATION
S.NO. Ammeter θ1 θ2 θ3 θ4 Mean K=I/tanθ
Reading(A)

1. 0.15 35 35 35 35 35 0.2142

2. 0.20 49 47 60 64 53.6 0.1474

3. 0.25 36 36 55 58 46.25 0.2389

4. 0.30 50 50 65 68 58.2 0.1860

5. 0.27 45 45 64 65 53.8 0.1976

Mean K = 0.19682

The reduction factor of TH =0.1968

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^-8T
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^-5T

CONCLUSION

Experiment in tangent galvanometer gives the reduction factor

of galvanometer and horizontal intensity of Earth’s magnetic
Field.
 h an k
T
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