The south Indian cultural association

senior secondary school no.3(50757)

Session=2023-24
Investigatory project

Resistivity Of Different Material

As a partial fulfillment of the requirement of
the Physics practical evaluation of
C.B.S.E

Principal: Submitted:

Mrs.Ronika Valecha Devansh gehlot

Guided by: Class Xll

Mrs.Samruddhi Kulkarni Roll no :

CERTIFICATE
This is to inform that master Devansh Gehlot student of class-XII ’A’ of
SICA SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL,NO.3,Indore,has completed a
project titled, “To study the Earth’s Magnetic Field using a Tangent
Galvnometer” during the academic year 2023-24 towards partial
fulfillment of credit for the physics practical evaluation of CBSE
2023,and submitted satisfactory report as compiled in the following
pages, under my supervision.

Teacher in-charge:

Teacher’s Signature:

Principal’s Signature:

School Stamp:
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Mere words won’t be able to express my gratitude and thankfulness for
the various people without whose involvement this project couldn’t have
been accomplished successfully. I wish to express my deepest feelings
of gratitude to Mrs. Samruddhi Shekhar mam for her erudite
involvement and sustained guidance which has been pivotal in my
project work. Her minute observation, precious insights, and critical
comments have indeed greatly helped shape my ideas The guidance and
support received from all of my classmates, who contributed to the
project, was vital for the success of this project. I am also humbly
grateful to my parents for their constant support, helpfulness, and
encouragement throughout the project.

Devansh Gehlot

INDEX
S.No Topic Page No
1 Aim 5
2 Introduction 6-10
3 Applications 10
 4 Apparatus and Materials required 11-12
5 Theory 13-14
6 Procedure 14-16
7 Observation and Calculation 16-17
8 Graph and Result 17-18
9 Precautions 18
10 Facts 19
11 Bibliography 20

AIM

The aim of the project is to study the Earth’s magnetic field and find
its value (BH) using a tangent galvanometer.

Tangent galvanometer
 Top view of a Tangent galvanometer

INTRODUCTION

Earth's magnetic field, also known as the geomagnetic field, is the

magnetic field that extends from the Earth's interior to where it
meets the solar wind, a stream of charged particles emanating from
the Sun. Its magnitude at the Earth's surface ranges from 25 to 65
microteslas (0.25 to 0.65 gauss).Roughly speaking it is the field of a
magnetic dipole currently tilted at an angle of about 10 degrees with
respect to Earth's rotational axis, as if there were a bar magnet
placed at that angle at the center of the Earth. Unlike a bar magnet,
however, Earth's magnetic field changes over time because it is
generated by a geodynamic (in Earth's case, the motion of molten
iron alloys in its outer core).

The North and South magnetic poles wander widely, but

sufficiently slowly for ordinary compasses to remain useful for
navigation. However, at irregular intervals averaging several
hundred thousand years, the Earth's field reverses and the North and
South Magnetic Poles relatively abruptly switch places. These
reversals of the geomagnetic poles leave a record in rocks that are
of value to paleomagnetists in calculating geomagnetic fields in the
past. Such information in turn is helpful in studying the motions of
continents and ocean floors in the process of plate tectonics.

The magnetosphere is the region above the ionosphere and extends

several tens of thousands of kilometers into space, protecting the
Earth from the charged particles of the solar wind and cosmic rays
that would otherwise strip away the upper atmosphere, including
the ozone layer that protects the Earth from harmful ultraviolet
radiation.

Earth's magnetic field serves to deflect most of the solar wind,

whose charged particles would otherwise strip away the ozone layer
that protects the Earth from harmful ultraviolet radiation. One
stripping mechanism is for gas to be caught in bubbles of magnetic
field, which are ripped off by solar winds.

The intensity of the field is often measured in gauss (G), but is

generally reported in nanoteslas (nT), with 1 G = 100,000 nT. A
nanotesla is also referred to as a gamma (γ).The tesla is the SI unit
of the Magnetic field, B.

The field ranges between approximately 25,000 and 65,000 nT

(0.25–0.65 G).
Near the surface of the Earth, its magnetic field can be closely
approximated by the field of a magnetic dipole positioned at the
center of the Earth and tilted at an angle of about 10° with respect to
the rotational axis of the Earth. The dipole is roughly equivalent to a
powerful bar magnet, with its South Pole pointing towards the
geomagnetic North Pole. The north pole of a magnet is so defined
because, if allowed to rotate freely, it points roughly northward (in
the geographic sense). Since the north pole of a magnet attracts the
south poles of other magnets and repels the north poles, it must be
attracted to the South Pole.
TANGENT GALVANOMETER

Principle
The tangent galvanometer works on the principle of tangent law.
Tangent law of Magnetism

• The tangent law of magnetism states that the tangent of the

angle of a compass needle which is due to the movement
under the influence of magnetic field is directly proportional
to the ratio of strengths of two perpendicular magnetic fields.

• In simpler words, the tangent of the angle made by the moving

needle under the magnetic field directly indicates the strength
of the perpendicular magnetic fields.

Definition
• Tangent galvanometer is the device which was used to
measure small amounts of electric current.

Construction

• The working of tangent galvanometer is based on the principle

of tangent law of magnetism.

• It consists of a coil of insulated copper wire wound on a

circular non-magnetic frame.
• It is utmost necessary that the coil wound is done in helical
arrangement otherwise, the field due to the wire will affect the
compass needle, thus inducing an error in the reading.
 • This frame is mounted vertically on a horizontal base for
support.

• The coil of insulated copper wire is usually rotated on a

vertical axis passing through its centre.

• A small sized magnetic compass with a powerful magnetic

needle is made to pivote at the centre of this coil, such that it
is free to rotate in a horizontal plane.

• The circular scale is used to read the movement of this

magnetic needle which is divided into four quadrants, each
ranging from 0° to 90°.

• A pointer is attached to this needle at right angles, usually

made up of thin alluminium as alluminium is lighter in mass.

• The usual way of discarding possibilities of parallax is also

used i.e placing of a plane mirror below the compass needle.

Working

• The instrument needle starts moving firstly under the

influence of Earth's magnetic field.

• Movement continues untill the magnetic field of earth is

parallel with the plane of coil.

• Then, on application of an uknown current, a second magnetic

field on the axis of the coil which is perpendicular to the
Earth's magnetic field is created.

• Hence the compass needle responds to the vector sum of the

two fields.
 • This deflection angle is equal to the tangent of the ratio of
those two fields.

APPLICATIO
NS

• T.G. 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.
• For calibration of secondary instruments.

APPARATUS AND MATERIALS REQUIRED

• Tangent Galvanometer (TG),

• Commutator (C),
• Rheostat (R),
• Battery (E),
• Ammeter (A),
• Key (K),
Plug Key
THEORY

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 working of tangent galvanometer is based on the tangent
law. It is stated as when a magnet is suspended freely in magnetic
field F and H, the magnet comes to rest making an angle θ with the
direction H such that,

Eq 1: F = H tan θ
When a bar magnet is suspended in two Magnetic fields B
and Bh, it comes to rest making an angle θ with the direction
of Bh.

Let a current I be passed through the coil of radius R, having

turns N. Then magnetic field produced at the centre of coil is,

Eq 2 : 𝐹 = μ0 2πIN

4π R

Let H is the horizontal component of earth’s

magnetic field and the magnetic needle comes to rest at angle 𝜃

with the direction of H, then according Eq. (1),

𝐻𝑡𝑎𝑛𝜃 =μ0 2πIN

4π R
 𝐻𝑡𝑎𝑛𝜃 = 10−7 2πIN
𝑅

Eq 3 : 𝐻 = 2π×10−7IN
𝑅𝑡𝑎𝑛𝜃

by substituting the value of current I, from eq.

(3),

Eq 4: 𝑡𝑎𝑛𝜃 𝐼 = 𝜇0 2𝜋𝑁
4𝜋 RH

radius of coil of galvanometer R, deflection 𝜃 and N, the value of

H can be calculated.

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 T.G coil
relative to the earth’s magnetic field H.

CIRCUIT DIAGRAM
PROCEDURE FOR PERFORMING THE EXPERIMENT

• Make the circuit connections in accordance with the circuit diagram.

• Using spirit level, level the base and the compass needle in
compass box of tangent galvanometer by adjusting the leveling
screw.

• Now rotate the coil of the galvanometer about its vertical axis,
till the magnetic needle, its image in the plane mirror fixed at the
base of the compass box and the coil, i.e.all

• These three lie in the same vertical plane.

• In this setting, the ends of the aluminium pointer should read

zero-zero. If this is not so, rotate the box without disturbing the
position of the coil till at least one of the ends of the pointer stands
at the zero marks.

• By closing the key K, the current flow in the galvanometer. Read

the both ends of the pointer. Now reverse the direction of current by
using the reversing key. When the mean values of both deflections
shown by the pointer in the two cases (i.e. before and after
reversing the current) differ by more than 1 o, then turn slightly the
vertical coil until the two values agree. This will set the plane of
the coil exactly in the magnetic meridian.

• By adjusting the rheostat, bring the deflection in galvanometer

around 45o. The deflection should not be outside the range (30 o-
60o).

• Record the reading of the ammeter and the deflection of the

compass needle in the box shown by two ends of pointer on the
scale.

• Reverse the current in the coil of galvanometer and again

record the current and deflection of needle.

• By changing the value of current, take four or more set of

readings and plot the graph between I and tan𝜃. The graph will be a
straight line.

• Measure the inner and the outer diameter of the coil with a half
metre scale at least three times.

OBSERVATIONS AND CALCULATIONS

Table 1. For variation of 𝜽 with I

S.NO Value of deflection θ Mean tan θ

(degree) Ammeter Reading
 (A)
For For
direct reverse
current current

θ1 θ2 θ3 θ4 Obs Corrected
1. 35 35 35 35 35 0.70 0.15 0.15
2. 49 47 60 64 53.6 1.36 0.20 0.20
3. 36 36 55 58 46.25 1.04 0.25 0.25
4. 50 50 65 68 58.2 1.61 0.30 0.30
5. 45 45 64 65 53.8 1.37 0.27 0.27

Table 2. For radius of tangent Galvanometer

S.No. Inner Outer Mean Mean

diameter diameter d2 diameter radius
d1 (cm) (cm) d (cm)
1. 16.0 × 10−2 16.40 × 10−2 16.20 × 10−2 8.10 × 10-2
2. 16.16 × 10−2 16.08 × 10−2 16.12 × 10−2 8.06 × 10−2
3. 16.06 × 10−2 16.10 × 10−2 16.08 × 10−2 8.04 × 10−2

Mean radius of coil R = 8.04 × 10−2

GRAPH
Slope of straight line = BC
AC

m = tanθ
I
Now substitute the m in
Eq. (4), m = μ0 2πN
4π RH

Then, H = = 7.6867 × 10−8 𝑇

RESULT

The value of earth’s magnetic field by using a tangent galvanometer is

H = 7.6867 × 10−8 𝑇
PRECAUTIONS

• The battery should be freshly charged.

• The magnetic needle should swing freely in the horizontal plane.

• The plane of coil must be set in magnetic meridian.

• There should be no parallax in noting down the readings of

ammeter and deflection.

• All the readings should be adjusted between 30o and 60o.

SOURCES OF ERROR

• There may a magnetic material around apparatus.

• The plane of coil will not be exactly in the magnetic meridian.

FACTS

The tangent galvanometer is an early measuring instrument for

Current
• The magnetic field produced by a circular coil carrying current I
is
Proportional to I.
• The S.I unit of magnetic field is Tesla .
 • The magnitude of horizontal intensity of earth’s
magnetic field is3.5x10⁻⁵ T .
• For better result while doing tangent galvanometer
experiment, the deflection should be in between 30o-60o.
• The value of μ₀ is 4πx10⁻⁷ NA⁻².

BIBLIOGRAPHY
• Tangent Galvanometer
(Procedure):Comprehensive Physics Activities
Volume I :Laxmi Publications Pvt Ltd.
• Tangent Galvanometer (Theory) : Comprehensive
Physics Activities Volume I : Laxmi Publications Pvt Ltd.
• Tangent Galvanometer (Precautions and Sources of
error):
Comprehensive
Physics Activities Volume I : Laxmi Publications Pvt Ltd.
• Galvanometer:
http://physics.kenyon.edu/EarlyApparatus/Electrical_Measure
ments/ Tangent_Galvanometer/Tangent_Galvanometer.html
• Galvanometer: Wikipedia, the free
encyclopediaen.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galvano
meter