Name_____________________ Lab___________ Instructor__________________

Pre-lab Assignment Experiment 46

Magnetic Fields and Electromagnetic Induction
In this experiment you explore the magnetic field and magnetic force due to both permanent magnets and
electromagnets. You will then examine electromagnetic induction.
1. (1pt) Draw the magnetic field lines around the bar magnet shown below.








2. (1pt) Calculate the magnetic field in a solenoid with 400 turns, a length of 0.03m and a
current of 1.0A.




What do you expect to have happen to the field if you double the current to 2.0A?



3. (2 pts) Calculate the period of the oscillation of a pendulum with a length=0.45cm.






4. (2 pts) Calculate the magnitude of the induced emf in a 400-turn coil if the magnetic field
inside the coil increases from 0T to 0.0200T (200g) over a time of 0.10s. Presume the area of
the coil is 0.0004m
2
.








If the induced emf in the first part was negative, what happens to the magnitude and the sign
of the induced emf when the field is reduced from 0.0200T to 0T in 0.10s?






Experiment 46 Magnetic Fields and Electomagnetic Induction

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Name_______________________ Lab___________ Instructor___________________
Experiment 46
Magnetic Fields and Electromagnetic Induction
Object:
The object of the lab is to study the magnetic field of both permanent magnets and
electromagnets as well as the phenomenon of electromagnetic induction.
Apparatus:
Small magnet, small magnet on string, small magnet on stick, compass, 2 Pasco 400-turn wire
coils, steel weights, power supply, Voltage probe, Magnetic Field Sensor with Pasco box and
computer, ruler, modeling clay, pendulum stand.
Part 1: Magnetic Field of a Permanent Magnet
In this first part you will examine the magnetic field around a permanent magnet. In particular
you will measure the strength of the magnetic field as a function of the distance away from the
magnet. The magnets you will be using are rare-earth magnets made from neodymium and are
typically quite strong permanent magnets.
The simplest tool for studying the magnetic field is a compass. The north pole of a compass will
point in the direction of the magnetic field. Remember that magnetic field lines point towards the
south pole of a magnet and away from the north pole. Place the compass in front of you and pick
up the loose magnet. Move it around the compass to establish the location of the north and south
poles of the magnet. Make a sketch of the magnet with the north and south poles labeled. Draw a
couple field lines at each of the poles.








For this next step, you want to measure the strength of the magnetic field as a function of the
distance from the magnet. You will use a magnetic field sensor that is interfaced to the computer
for readout. See the instructions for starting up DataStudio at the end of the lab writeup. You will
also find instruction for setting up a digital display. Once the sensor is set up, place the magnet
and the probe on or near the ruler as shown (see Figure 1) with the north pole of the magnet
pointing directly at the pole. Use the modeling clay to hold the magnet in place at the same
height as the probe. The probe should be set to measure the field parallel to the direction of the
probe (Axial setting).
Experiment 46 Magnetic Fields and Electomagnetic Induction

46-2

Figure 1


Measure the field at the distances shown in Table 1. The distance should be measured from the
face of the magnet to the dot on the magnetic field sensor (this dot represents the location of the
actual sensor).
Table 1
Distance(cm)
Magnetic Field (g)
Trial 1 Trial 2 Average
1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0


When completing the table, perform the measurement 3 times just to make sure the values are
reasonably reproducible. Each lab partner should complete at least one trial (set of 4
measurements). Calculate the average field at each distance.
Follow the directions at the end of the lab to create a data table and graph of position versus field
strength using DataStudio. Print the graph, label it and include it with your writeup. Use the
printer designated by your lab TA. It will typically be labeled by the room number of your lab.

Part 2: Magnetic Field of a Current-Carrying Coil
Next we want to examine the magnetic field created by a current carrying coil. Wire up the coil
to the power supply as shown in Figure 2. Turn on the power supply and turn the current and
voltage down to zero if it is not already there. If the green CC/CV light is lit, push the button to
turn it off. Increase the current from 0A to 1.5 A. Do not run the coil above 1.5 A for an
extended period of time (more than about half a minute) or the coil may heat and burn out. Do
not exceed 3.0A.
Experiment 46 Magnetic Fields and Electomagnetic Induction

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Figure 2
With a current running through the coil, bring a compass near. Establish which end of the coil is
the north pole. The large piece of steel in the center of the coil helps strengthen and direct the
field. We will refer to it as the core later in the lab. For certain parts of the experiment, it will be
removed (but not right now).
Turn the current back down to zero and reverse the wires. What does that do to the direction of
the magnetic field? (Record your observation)






Using a setup similar to Part 1 (see Figure 3), use the magnetic field sensor to record the strength
of the magnetic field as a function of distance.

Figure 3
Record the data in Table 2. As before take 3 measurements.

Experiment 46 Magnetic Fields and Electomagnetic Induction

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Table 2
Current _______________

Distance(cm)
Magnetic Field (g)
Trial 1 Trial 2 Average
1

2

3

4


Calculate the averages. Do not worry about entering the data to create a graph.
How does this data compare to the data from Part 1?






Place the coil and magnetic sensor in a fixed position relative to each other. Measure the field
strength of the coil at this position with several different currents. Put your data in Table 3.
Table 3
Distance ____________ cm

Current(A) Magnetic Field (g)
0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

What do you observe about the relationship between current and field strength?






Experiment 46 Magnetic Fields and Electomagnetic Induction

46-5
Part 3: Magnetic Force
This part is purely observational. You have several steel blocks or masses on your table. Place
the electromagnet coil flat over one of the blocks. Turn up the current on the electromagnet and
lift the block. Slowly turn down the current to the point where block drops and record the
current. Repeat this for one of the other blocks.



Part 4: Magnetic Field
In this next section we look at the combined magnetic field due to both the electromagnet and the
permanent magnet.
Place the south pole of the permanent magnet facing the electromagnet at a distance of about
6cm. Use the modeling clay to support the magnet such that it is at the same height as the center
of the electromagnet. Set the current in the electromagnet to 1.5A.
Set the probe to measure the field perpendicular (radial) to the end of the probe (youll be
inserting it in from the side this time). It would be good to move the sensor away from all
magnets and tare the sensor again.

Figure 4
What is the strength of the field half way in between the permanent magnet and the
electromagnet?

Move the sensor along the line between the two magnets. Does the field ever go to zero? If so at
what location?




Turn the permanent magnet around so that the north pole now faces the electromagnet. What is
the strength of the field half way in between the permanent magnet and the electromagnet?


Move the sensor along the line between the two magnets. Does the field ever go to zero? If so at
what location? (for example, at what distance from the face of the electromagnet?
Experiment 46 Magnetic Fields and Electomagnetic Induction

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Why are the two measurements of the field at the center different depending on the orientation of
the permanent magnet?





Part 5: Magnetic Induction Permanent magnet
Attach the second coil to the voltage probe as shown and set up the voltage probe as discussed in
the Data Studio directions at the end of the lab. Create a graph for the voltage from the coil as a
function of time by dragging Voltage and dropping it on the Graph setting below. Since the
induced emf does not stay non-zero for very long, you will be using the computer to find quick
spikes on the induced emf. Make the graph window large (grab the bottom corner and expand the
window or use the expand window icon in the top right corner of the graph window). Start a new
data run to collect the graph. At this point you can click on the scale to fit button on the top left
of the graph window to rescale the graph. Erase data sets and re-run new data as necessary.



In this section we use the permanent magnet to create an induced emf. Remove the core of the
coil and place it to the side. Take the magnet that is attached to the wooden stick and pass it
quickly into the coil, hold it in the center for a second, and then quickly pull it back out again.
Zoom in on the graph and draw a quick sketch of the voltage (emf) as a function of time. Label
the region where you (1) insert the magnet, (2) hold the magnet in place, and (3) pull the magnet
back out.








What happens when you move the magnet faster or slower?






Experiment 46 Magnetic Fields and Electomagnetic Induction

46-7
How do you explain your observations from above in terms of Faradays Law of Induction?
Reminder of Faradays Law of Induction:
0
0
N
t t
!
" # $ %$
= %
& '
%
( )






Part 6 Magnetic Induction - Electromagnet
Place the core back into the center of the pickup coil (the coil attached to the voltage sensor).
Place the electromagnet coil (the coil attached to the power supply) right next to the second coil
as shown.

Figure 5
Start another data run. Turn the knob to increase the current up to 1-2A. Pause for a second and
then turn the knob to decrease the current. Make a sketch of the voltage as the function of time.
Label the three regions where you are (1) increasing the current, (2) holding the current constant
(but non-zero), and (3) decreasing the current. What is the induced emf during region (2)?









How are regions (1) and (3) different? Why?




Experiment 46 Magnetic Fields and Electomagnetic Induction

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Part 7: Pendulum
In some devices electromagnetic induction is used to provide a signal signifying
the time when an event happened. Some speedometers use a magnet and a
pickup coil to identify every time a wheel or drive shaft completes one full
revolution. Using a calibration factor, this can then be converted into a speed. In
this part you will use electromagnetic induction to measure the period of a
pendulum.

Place the coil that is attached to the voltage probe on the base of the pendulum
stand as shown. You can push the flat face of the metal core up so the coil rests
flat as shown in the figure to the right. Set up the magnet on a string as a
pendulum using the mount provided.


Adjust the magnet so that it passes about 3cm above the coil. For each data run,
you will pull the magnet back and set it into oscillation such that it passes over
the center of the coil.
Set up a graph of the voltage as a function of time. Expand the vertical scale
such that the vertical axis ranges from roughly -40mV to +40mV. Start a data
run and then set the pendulum into oscillation. Collect data for 3 complete
oscillations, zoom in on the data appropriately and create a printout when you feel you have
collected a good data run.
See the sample data shown in the figure below (this shows more than 3 oscillations).

On the graph you will see spikes representing the induced emf in the coil as the magnet goes by.
Why does each spike have both a positive and a negative part?





Once the graph is printed, label on the graph a region that represents the time over which the
pendulum completes one oscillation.

Experiment 46 Magnetic Fields and Electomagnetic Induction

46-9
Pick two points that represent the beginning and end times for three complete oscillations. Using
the cursor find and record here the time associated with the beginning and end. From these
values calculate the period of oscillation of the pendulum (show your calculations).









Remember that the period of a pendulum depends on its length. Measure the length of the
pendulum and calculate the period of the pendulum: T = 2!
L
g
. Show your calculation.








What is the percent difference between the period calculated using the length and the period
measured using the time measurement from the coil?



Experiment 46 Magnetic Fields and Electomagnetic Induction

46-10
Instructions for DataStudio
Starting Up and Connecting Magnetic Field Sensor
1. Start the computer.
2. Make sure the Pasco 750 USB device is turned on.
3. Wait for the Pasco 750 USB device to be found by the laptop. Most people do not wait
long enough at this step.
4. Start the program called DataStudio
5. The program will show a box with four tasks, You want to click Create Experiment
6. The Pasco Box image will show up in the center. If it indicates that it is not connected it
is either off or you did not wait long enough at step two. If this is the case, shutdown and
restart DataStudio
7. Click the same port on the computer screen that the magnetic sensor is connected on the
Pasco box (typically Channel A). A list of sensors should appear, scroll down and select
magnetic sensor, then hit Ok button.
8. Settings for magnetic field sensor in DataStudio: on the screen select Magnetic Field
Strength 1x, a sampling rate of 10 Hz, and Low (1X). These settings are typically the
default settings.
9. Settings for magnetic field sensor:
a. Make sure the Range Select setting on the sensor is at 1x.
b. The magnetic sensor has a tare button that zeroes the background signal. Make
sure any magnets are far enough away from the sensor so as not to influence it,
then touch the tare button. You can periodically check the zero by moving all
magnets and coils away and reading the value. If the value is not zero, press the
tare button.
c. The sensor can either read the component of the magnetic field parallel to the
plastic arm (axial) or perpendicular (radial) to the arm. Move the button closest to
the probe end to axial for Parts 1 and 2 of the lab.
The probe in the picture below is set to axial mode (top switch) and 1x Range
(switch closest to the cable).

Experiment 46 Magnetic Fields and Electomagnetic Induction

46-11
10. Close the setup window.
11. In the upper left of the screen, there is an Entry that says Magnetic Field Strength. Drag
that icon to the lower left and drop it on the word digit. (See the annotation in the
screenshot below). This will create a numeric readout for the magnetic field sensor.
The screenshot below shows the experiment setup with a Magnetic Field Sensor in
Channel A set to 1X and a 10Hz Sampling Rate.

Starting, Stopping and Deleting Runs
1. 1o sLarL Laklng daLa, cllck SLarL" or Lype cLrl-8
2. 1o sLop Laklng daLa, cllck SLop" or Lype cLrl-.
3. 1o deleLe Lhe lasL daLa run, Lype cLrl- mlnus
4. All of Lhese commands can be accessed under Lhe LxperlmenL" drop-down menu
Entering Data and Creating a Plot
In DataStudio you can enter data into a table by hand and then plot that data. You will use this
ability to create a plot for each of Part 1 and Part 2.
To make a Table and Graph with the data you collected:
1. Click Experiment in the upper right.
2. Select New Empty Data Table
3. A two-column data table should appear.
4. Enter Your data
Experiment 46 Magnetic Fields and Electomagnetic Induction

46-12
5. Once you have entered your data, drag Editable Data and drop it on Graph to create a
graph of the data.
6. Select File Print and print to the printer noted on the board by your Lab TA (typically
the printer is labeled by the room number of your lab).
See the screen shot below for a sample table. Ignore the extra data points in the table.

Setting Up the Voltage Sensor
To set up the Voltage Sensor so you can measure the induced emf(voltage) in the circuit:
1. Cllck SeLup"
2. Cllck on Channel 8 and selecL volLage Sensor" (all Lhe way aL Lhe boLLom).
3. SelecL a sample raLe of 100 Pz
4. SelecL Low galn