Objective

1. To study the variation of magnetic field along the axis generated by two coaxial and identical
current carrying coils.

2. To study the effect of separation between coils on magnetic field.

3. To generate nearly constant magnetic field. (A galvanometer works as an actuator, by

producing a rotary deflection of a pointer, in response to electric current flowing through a coil
in a constant magnetic field.)

If we move away from O towards the right or left, the intensity of the magnetic field decreases.
The curve is first concave towards O but the curvature becomes less and less, quickly changes
sign at A and B and afterwards becomes convex towards O. It can be seen that the points of
inflexion A or B (where the rate of change of magnetic field with distance (dB/dx) is constant)
lie at distances r/2 from the centre. Hence the distance between A and B is equal to the radius
of the coil.

If two such identical coils are placed coaxially, then depending on the relative sense of current
flow in them, the two fields add or subtract (vector sum of two fields) to give the resultant
magnetic field at any point on the axis (principle of superposition).
Helmholtz coils is an arrangement of two parallel co-axial coils 1 and 2 having the same radius
(a) and the same number of turns (N). The distance between the two coils is equal to the radius
(a) of each coil. The coils are connected in series so that the current through them is in the same
direction. At the midpoint of this pair, we have a situation where the field B1 due to one coil is
decreasing linearly with x, while B2 due to the other coil is increasing linearly with x at the
same rate. B1 and B2 add up to produce uniform magnetic field over an appreciable range.
Therefore, the magnetic needle of the magnetic compass box placed mid-way between the two
coils rotates in uniform magnetic field.