Experiment #4

Date: February 24, 2020

Topic: Electromagnetism
Title:
An investigation into the relationship among the coil current, distance and mass of a load supported by an
aluminium ring.

Problem Statement:
Efforts are being made to increase efficiency of railway networks. One way of doing this is to reduce the
resistance expended by trains. This can be achieved by levitating action using very large electric currents which
pass though super conductive material to produce a strong magnetic field. It is important that the train remains
at a fixed distance above the rail. At a first stage investigation of this effect, an alternating current (I), is passed
through a coil placed at the base of a vertically mounted iron rod. An aluminium ring is placed over this rod.
When the coil is energized, the ring rises to a stationary position above the coil. Design an experiment to
investigate how the coil current needed to raise the load to a fixed distance above the coil varies with

the mass of the load where the load is supported by the aluminium ring.

Hypothesis:
Coil current increases as the mass of the load attached to the aluminium ring increases.

Aim: To investigate how the coil current needed to raise the load to a fixed distance above the coil varies with the
mass of the load where the load is supported by the aluminium ring.

Apparatus:
,Aluminium Ring, 5 Different Masses of load, Iron Rod, AC Power Supply
Magnetic Field Generator with surrounding Coil of Wire (Thompson Coil),
Ammeter, Volunteer, Connecting Wires, Electric Balance, Ruler.

Diagram of Apparatus:

Method:

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 1. Weigh the mass of the aluminium ring using an electric balance.
2. Using a ruler measure and mark 25cm the vertical iron rod.
3. Set up the iron rod with the magnetic field generator surrounded by a coil of wire as shown in the diagram on a
flat surface (iron rod mounted vertically on top).
4. Turn on the power supply.
5. Attach the power supply to the ammeter which is attached to the magnetic field generator using connecting wires.
6. Attach the 50g load to the aluminium ring and place down the length of the vertical rod.
7. Turn the power supply knob slowly until the load attached to the aluminium ring reaches the desired height.
8. Record the magnitude of current required for that mass.
9. Remove that mass from the aluminium ring.
10. Repeat steps 5 - 8 for the other masses of load then for the aluminium ring only.
11. Tabulate the results in a suitable table.

Variables:
Controlled:
● The fixed distance the load attached to the ring must rise to.

Manipulated:

● Mass of the load attached to the aluminium ring.

● Current need to raise the particular mass to the fixed distance.

Responding Variable:

● Movement of the load (attached to the aluminium ring) from the base of the vertical iron rod to marked distance.

Table of results: Showing how current varies with respect to a mass of load attached an aluminium ring when distance is kept constant.
Mass of Load (±1) g Current (±0.01) A Fixed height (±0.1) cm

Aluminium ring only 25

50 25

100 25

150 25

200 25

250 25

Mass of aluminium ring= ________g

Expected Results:

Force can be found using among others:

1. F = Flux Density x Current x Length Of Wire (F=B x I x l)

2. F= mg

The force of the magnetic field has got to be equal to the weight of the aluminium ring to get it to hover.
Therefore,

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 ➔ The current depends on the mass time the gravitational pull of that mass on the ring divided by the flux
density and length of wire.

Assumptions:

● The aluminium ring is made of only and pure aluminium

● The masses written on the loads were indeed the correct mass and exact.

Sources of Error:

The masses of the loads were assumed to be as stated on them and could be incorrect.
●

Precautions:
Electricity is extremely dangerous and can even be fatal. Great considerations should be taken to ensure there
●
are no exposed wires to cause harm.

Limitations:
●

The type of core used (iron in this case) affects the strength of the electromagnetic field produced.

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