PHYSICS PROJECT

2023-2024

DETERMINATION OF MAGNETIC MOMENT

AND POLE STRENGTH OF A BAR MAGNET
USING DEFLECTION MAGNETOMETER

BY: MISBAH MOHIYUDHEEN

12 - G
 INTRODUCTION

DEFLECTION MANAGEMENT:

Deflection management in magnetism involves

controlling the path of charged particles by adjusting
magnetic fields. When charged particles move through a
magnetic field, they experience a force known as Lorentz
force that changes their direction. This concept is used in
applications like particle accelerators, mass
spectrometers, and cathode ray tubes to precisely control
and manipulate the movement of these particles for
various scientific and technological purposes.

POLE STRENGTH (P):

Pole strength is defined as the strength of a magnetic
pole to attract magnetic materials towards itself. The
concept of pole strength is fundamental to understanding
how magnets interact and influence their surroundings. It
is a key parameter in magnetic science and plays a
significant role in various applications in physics,
engineering, and technology. Pole strength is a scalar
quantity.

MAGNETIC MOMENT(m):
Magnetic moment is a quantity that represents the
magnetic strength and orientation of a magnet or any
other object that produces a magnetic field. More
precisely, a magnetic moment refers to a magnetic
dipole moment, the component of the magnetic moment
that can be represented by a magnetic dipole. A
magnetic dipole is a magnetic north pole and a
magnetic south pole separated by a small distance.
EARTHS MAGNETIC FIELD AND ITS
SIGNIFICANCE:
The definition of "Earth's magnetic field" is a
geomagnetic field that starts in the core of the Earth
emanates out into space forming a magnetosphere. A
geomagnetic field is an amalgamation of separate fields
that all originate from different sources all over the
Earth. The magnetosphere is an occurrence caused by
the Main Field that creates an indent in space that
pushes solar winds from the sun away from the earth.
The purpose of the magnetosphere is to detour most of
the solar flares away from earth so that it does not
absorb the sun's radiation, making life possible.
There are three components that are responsible for the
magnitude as well as the direction of the earth’s
magnetic field:

Magnetic declination
Magnetic inclination or the angle of dip
Horizontal component of the earth’s magnetic field

The Earth’s magnetic field shields us from:

erosion of our atmosphere by the solar wind

(charged particles our Sun continually spews at us),
erosion and particle radiation from coronal mass
ejections (massive clouds of energetic and
magnetized solar plasma and radiation),
and cosmic rays from deep space.

It is also responsible for:

Giving Earth a magnetic pull which in turn allows for
navigation with the use of a compass
Northern Lights
Variations of rainfall

TANGENT LAW:

It states that when a magnet is suspended under the

action of uniform magnetic fields B perpendicular to the
horizontal component of Earth’s magnetic field ,H, then
the magnet comes to rest at an angle θ with respect to
the field H such that B=Htanθ
WORKING PRINCIPLE:
Tan-A position

In Tan A position (Fig. 1), prior to placement of the

magnet, the compass box is rotated so that the (0-0)
line is parallel to the arm of the magnetometer. Then
the magnetometer as a whole is rotated till pointer
reads (0-0). Finally, the bar magnet (the same one
that was previously suspended in the Vibration
Magnetometer) is placed horizontally, parallel to the
arm of the deflection magnetometer, at a distance d
chosen so that the deflection of the aluminum
pointer is between 30° and 60°.
The magnet is a dipole. Suppose that, analogous to an
electric dipole, there are two magnetic poles P (though
in reality no single magnetic pole can exist), one
positive and one negative, separated by a distance L =
2l, with the positive pole labeled N and the negative
pole labeled S. By analogy with Coulomb’s law, for each
pole we would have a field:

and a magnetic dipole moment:

where l = L/2 is the half-length of the magnet

m = magnetic moment of the magnet
4π x 10-7 TmA-1 - the magnetic permeability of free space
θ = deflection of aluminium pointer.

Therefore, by the tangent law, at equilibrium

(6)

Solving for m/BH we get:

(7)

We will call this value y.

 Tan-B position

In this position (Fig. 2), prior to placement of the

magnet, the compass box alone is rotated so that the
(90-90) line is parallel to the arm of the magnetometer.
Then the magnetometer as a whole is rotated so that
the pointer reads (0-0). Finally, the magnet is placed
horizontally, perpendicular to the arm of the
magnetometer, at distances d chosen so that the
deflection of the aluminium pointer is between 30°and

Thus the field due to the bar magnet in

the center of the compass is,

which leads to,

(8)
Equation (8) gives us a second
value of y, which we average with
the first, from equation (7).

Now using (5), (7) and (8) we can calculate m and BH.
 (9)

Hence, the magnetic moment of the bar

magnet is,

(11)

And the horizontal component of earth’s magnetic field is,

 EXPERIMENT

AIM:

To determine the magnetic dipole moment (m) of a bar

magnet and horizontal intensity (BH) of earth’s
magnetic field using a deflection magnetometer.
APPARATUS:

Deflection magnetometer, box-type vibration

magnetometer, timer, bar magnet. The deflection
magnetometer consists of a large compass box with a
small magnetic needle pivoted at the center of a
circular scale so that the needle is free to rotate in a
horizontal plane.

PROCEDURE:

To Find M/H
Tan A position: The compass box alone is rotated so
that the (0-0) line is parallel to the arm of the
magnetometer. Then the apparatus as a whole is
rotated till the aluminum pointer reads (0-0). The bar
magnet is placed horizontally, parallel to the arm of
the deflection magnetometer, at a distanced from the
center of the compass needle, chosen so that the
deflection lies between 30° and 60°. The reading of
the ends of the pointer are noted. The magnet is then
reversed at the same position and the readings of the
pointer are again noted. The magnet is then
transferred to the other arm of the magnetometer,
keeping it at the same distance d, four more
deflections are noted as before. The experiment is
repeated for different values of d and an average
value for m/H is calculated using equation (7).
Tan B position: The compass box alone is rotated so
that the (90-90) line is parallel to the arm of the
magnetometer. Then the magnetometer as a whole
is rotated so that the pointer reads (0-0). The

magnet is placed horizontally, but perpendicular to

the arm of magnetometer. Repeat the whole
process as before, to get a second average value of
m/H using equation (8)

OBSERVATION:

Tan A position

S. Length Distanc
Magnetic
N l=L/2 e Deflections Mean
moment
o. (m) d (m)

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.
OBSERVATION:
Tan B position

S. Length Distanc
Magnetic
N l=L/2 e Deflections Mean
moment
o. (m) d (m)

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.
INFERENCE:
The hypothesis is correct. Magnetic moment and the
pole strength of the bar magnet depends on the
horizontal component of Earth’s magnetic field.
RESULT:

Magnetic moment of bar magnet =

Pole strength of bar magnet=

CONCLUSION:
The earth’s magnetic field and horizontal component
influences both the magnetic moment and pole strength
of bar magnet

PRECAUTIONS
1. All magnetic substances must be removed from the
working table.
2. Arms of the magnetometer should be adjusted
properly to bring it perpendicular to the magnetic
meridian
3. Theta values should be between 30 and 60 degrees.

4. Take readings carefully without any parallax.

 BIBLIOGRAPHY

· https://byjus.com/physics/magnetic-field-
earth-magnetism/

·
https://climate.nasa.gov/news/3105/earths
-magnetosphere-protecting-our-planet-
from-harmful-space
energy/#:~:text=Generated%20by%20the%
20motion%20of,for%20navigation%20with
%20a%20compass.

· https://study.com/learn/lesson/earth-
magnetic-field-causes-purpose-
importance.html

· https://byjus.com/physics/magnetic-
moment/

· https://vlab.amrita.edu/index.php?
sub=1&brch=192&sim=847&cnt=1