KAMALA NIKETAN

MONTESSORI SCHOOL (CBSE)

TRICHY

PHYSICS INVESTIGATIVE PROJECT 2023-2024

TOPIC:

Magnetic Field Lines around

Current Carrying Conductor

Submitted by:
N NL.Barath Krishna
XII – D
INDEX
 INTRODUCTION
 AIM
 THEORY
 MATERIALS REQUIRED
 PROCEDURE
 OBSERVATIONS
 RESULT
 BIBLIOGRAPHY
 Introduction:
The magnetic lines of force are lines from the North to the South
poles where the magnetic field is of equal value. There are, in
theory, an infinite number of them surrounding a magnet, but in
drawings a few only are selected to represent them, as also
happens when iron filings are used on a paper, they naturally
clump together in lines.

Linear aligned atoms of a magnetic material forming a dipole.

This results in polarization of electrons and they flow in
opposite directions. This ionizes the core as the passage of
electrons are on the surface of the magnetic material. So the
electrons accelerate away from the core of the magnet. If we
place an iron dust on a paper, the particles will be aligned,
clearly showing the magnetic energy patterns.
 Aim:
To observe the magnetic field lines around current carrying
conductor.

Theory:
One of the main effects of electric current is the magnetic effect.
Without the magnetic effect of electric current, we would not
have motors in the world today.
A current carrying conductor generates a magnetic field around
itself. The magnetic field can be understood by the use of
magnetic lines of force. A straight current carrying
conductor produces a magnetic field. The magnetic field lines
around the conductor are concentric circles with the centre at the
axis.
The magnetic field strength depends on the current passing
through the conductor.
The direction of the magnetic field lines of force around a
conductor is given by the Maxwell’s right hand grip rule or the
right handed corkscrew rule. Imagine that you are holding a
current-carrying straight conductor in your right hand such that
the thumb points towards the direction of current. Then your
fingers will wrap around the conductor in the direction of the
field lines of the magnetic field . This is known as right hand
thumb rule.
Materials Required:
A battery (12 V), a variable resistance (or a rheostat), an
ammeter (0–5 A), a plug key, and a long straight thick copper
wire.

Procedure:
1. Fix the cardboard and insert the wire through the center of
cardboard such that it is normal to its plane and surround it with
iron fillings
2. Connect the wire with rheostat, ammeter, battery and plug key
in series.
3. Keep the variable of the rheostat at a fixed position and note
the current through the ammeter.
4. Observe the pattern of the iron filings over the cardboard.

Observations:

1. You will observe that the magnetic field lines are formed in
concentric circles around the current carrying conductor. These
lines do not intersect each other and are equidistant from each
other.
2. The direction of the field is perpendicular to the conductor.
3. The magnetic field (B) acting on the object O increases as the
current flowing through it increases.
4. The field increases as object O is closer to the conductor and
decreases as it moves away from the conductor.
5. The direction of magnetic field lines gets reversed if the
direction of current is reversed.
 Result:

Note that the current carriers are in the opposite direction in the
above figures. In both cases, a cardboard is placed at the right
angle to the current carrier. There are a few iron fillings
scattered on the conductor
When current passes through the current carrier, the iron filings
arrange themselves in the magnetic field. We see that in both
cases the magnetic field is in the opposite direction as the
current

The magnetic field generated by a current carrying straight wire

is inversely proportional to the distance from the current carrier
and directly proportional to the current through the current
carrier. From this, we can infer that a current carrying
conductor generates a magnetic field surrounding it
The direction of the magnetic field is determined by the right
hand thumb rule.

Bibliography:
• Magnetic Effects of Electric Current - Wikipedia
• Google Bard
• Magnetic Field due to Current – sciencenotes.org