KAMALA NIKETAN MONTESSORI

SCHOOL (CBSE)

PHYSICS INVESTIGATORY
PROJECT

TANGENT GALVANOMETER

A Project Report

Submitted By
GOWRI SHANKAR.S

(2020 – 2021)

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TANGENT
GALVANOMETER

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Content Page number
AIM 4

Pre requisite knowledge 4

Materials required 4

Circuit diagram 5

Layout of tangent galvanometer 6

Working principle 7

Procedure 8

Application 8

Observations & graph 9

Result 11

Precautions 11

Source of error 11
Bibliography 11

Index

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AIM:
The aim of the project is to find the ‘reduction factor’ of the given tangent galvanometer (K) and the
horizontal component of the Earth’s magnetic field (B h).

 To determine the reduction factor of the given tangent galvanometer (K).

 To find out the horizontal component of earth’s magnetic field (B h).

PRE REQUISITE KNOWLEDGE:

The tangent galvanometer was first described in an 1837 by Claude-Servais- Mathias Pouillet, who
later employed this sensitive form of galvanometer to verify Ohm’s law. To use the galvanometer, it
is first set up on a level surface and the coil aligned with the magnetic north south direction. This
means that the compass needle at the middle of the coil is parallel with the plane of the coil when it
carries no current. The current to be measured is now sent through the coil, and produces a
magnetic field, perpendicular to the plane of the coil and is directly proportional to the current.

The magnitude of the magnetic field produced by the coil is B. The magnitude of the horizontal
component the Earth’s magnetic field is B’. The compass needle aligns itself along the vector sum of
B and B’ after rotating through an angle from its original orientation. The vector diagram shows that
tan 0 =B/B”. Since the magnetic field of the Earth is constant, and B depends directly on the current,
the current is thus proportional to the tangent of the angle through which the needle has turned.

MATERIALS REQUIRED:
 Tangent galvanometer (TG).

 Commutator (C).

 Rheostat (R)

 Battery (E).

 Ammeter (A).

 Key (k).

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CIRCUIT DIAGRAM:

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LAYOUT OF TANGENT
GALVANOMETER:

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WORKING PRINCIPLE:
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 TG is arranged in such a way that the horizontal component of earth’s magnetic field (B)
is in the direction of the plane of the coil. The magnetic needle is then under the action of two
mutually perpendicular fields. If 0 is the deflection of the needle, then according to tangent law,

B = Bh tan.......(1)

Let / is the current passing through the coil of radius a with n turns, then the field generated by the
current carrying circular coil is,

B = μ0 ml/ 2a.....(2)

Equating (1) and (2), we get,

Bh tan∅ = μ0 ml/ 2a......(3)

2aBh/μ0n= 1/tan∅ .........(4)

The left hand side of equation (4) is a constant and is called the reduction factor (K) of the given
tangent galvanometer.

K = 1/tan∅........(5)

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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 Bh.

1. The plane of the coil is made vertical by adjusting the leveling screws.
2. The compass box alone is rotated so that the 90-90 line in the compass box the coil
3. The T.G as a whole is rotated till the aluminium pointer reads 0-0.
4. Note down the number of turns in the coil.
5. A suitable current is allowed to pass through the coil.
6. Note down the current as well as the deflection in T.G.
7. Reverse the current and note the deflection again.
8. Repeat the procedure for different values of current.
9. Plot the graph.
10. Measure the radius of the coil from its perimeter by using a thread and rotating it around
the round circle.
11. Determine the reduction factor and horizontal component of earth’s magnetic field.

APPLICATION:
 Tangent Galvanometer 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.

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OBSERVATION & GRAPH:
To determine the reduction factor of the tangent galvanometer:

Table1: for variation of ∅ with I

Mean K = K1 + K2 + K3 + K4 + K5 ÷ 5

= 0.19682 A

The reduction factor of Tangent Galvanometer=0.19682A

Number of tums of the coil = 50

Circumference of the coil (S) = 2πa = 50.49cm

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Table 2 : for the radius of tangent galvanometer

Mean radius of the coil (a) = S/2n 8.04 x 10 -2 cm

TO DETERMINE THE HORIZONTAL COMPONENT OF EARTH’S MAGNETIC FIELD (B h):

The Horizontal component of earth's magnetic field (B.) can be calculated using the formula,

Bh = μ0nK / 2a

= 2πnK × 10-7 / r

= 7.6867 × 10-8 T

FROM GRAPH : Reduction factor K of the tangent galvanometer can be determined from the graph
drawn as:

K = BC / AC = tan∅/1

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RESULT:
The reduction factor of the given tangent galvanometer,

K=0.19628A

Horizontal component of earth’s magnetic field,

B =7.6867 x 10’T

PRECAUTIONS:
1. Keep the tangent galvanometer away from an ammeter.
2. The coil of the galvanometer should be adjusted parallel to the magnetic field of the earth

SOURCE OF ERROR:
1. There may be a magnetic field around the apparatus.
2. The plane of coil will not be exactly in the magnetic meridian.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Website:

 wWw.en.m.wikipedia.org

 www.google.co.in

 www.scribd.com

 www.slideshare.net

Book:

 Comprehensive Practical Physics class 12

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