Mapping Earth's Magnetic Field

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PHYSICS PROJECT IMPROVED VERSION

Name: Aryan Sharma
Class: XII-S2
Roll No.: 16

CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that Aryan Sharma, a bonafide student of Grade XII (Session 2022-23) of The
Jain International School, Kanpur, has successfully completed the Physics investigatory
project on the topic:

"Mapping Earth's Magnetic Field Using Tangent Galvanometer and Compass Needle"

under my supervision and guidance.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all those who supported me throughout this
project. First and foremost, I thank God for giving me strength and clarity.

I extend heartfelt thanks to Mr. Mohit Tiwari, my Physics teacher, for his valuable guidance,
encouragement, and feedback during the completion of this project.

I am also thankful to my classmates and friends who assisted me during the practical
sessions and helped make this project a success.

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OBJECTIVE
To investigate and map the Earth's magnetic field by plotting field lines using a compass
and bar magnet.

To study the horizontal component of Earth's magnetic field using a tangent

galvanometer.

INTRODUCTION
The Earth's magnetic field (geomagnetic field) is a natural magnetic field generated by
dynamo action in the Earth's outer core. It behaves like the field of a giant bar magnet tilted
about 10° from the planet's rotational axis. Its strength varies from 25 to 65 µT (microteslas)
on the Earth's surface.

This field plays a vital role in protecting our atmosphere from solar wind and cosmic rays. It
also serves as a navigational aid, aligning compass needles along its horizontal component.

Earth’s magnetic field is not constant. It fluctuates due to solar storms and can also reverse
polarity over geological time scales. These fascinating dynamics make its study relevant for
both academic and practical applications like satellite communication and navigation.

THEORY
Earth’s Magnetic Field:
The Earth behaves like a giant bar magnet with a magnetic field originating from its molten
iron core. This field protects the Earth from harmful solar radiation and helps with
navigation. The total magnetic field of the Earth can be split into two components:

Horizontal component (B_H): the part that lies parallel to the Earth’s surface.

Vertical component (B_V): the part that points into or out of the surface.

The angle between the total magnetic field and the horizontal is called the angle of dip. At
the equator, the field is mostly horizontal, while at the poles, it becomes vertical.

Tangent Galvanometer:

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A tangent galvanometer is a circular coil used to measure small electric currents or
determine the horizontal component of Earth's magnetic field. It operates on the tangent
law of magnetism, which relates the deflection angle of a compass needle to the magnetic
fields acting on it.

Tangent Law of Magnetism:

When two mutually perpendicular magnetic fields act simultaneously on a magnetic needle,
the needle aligns itself at an angle θ such that:

B
tan θ = ​

BH ​

Where:

θ = deflection angle of the needle

B = magnetic field produced by the galvanometer’s coil
BH = horizontal component of Earth’s magnetic field
​

This law assumes the net magnetic field is the vector sum of the Earth’s field and the field
due to the coil.

Magnetic Field of a Circular Coil:

The magnetic field B at the center of a circular coil of radius R with n turns carrying a
current I is given by:

μ 0 nI
B=
​

2R
​

Where:

μ0 = 4π × 10−7 T\cdotpm/A (permeability of free space)

​

n = number of turns in the coil

I = current in amperes
R = radius of the coil in meters

Substituting into the tangent law:

μ 0 nI
tan θ =
​

2RBH
​

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This shows that for a fixed coil, tan θ∝ I , forming the basis for plotting tan(θ) vs. current (I)
to validate the law and possibly calculate BH .​

ABOUT THE TOPIC

A tangent galvanometer consists of a coil of insulated copper wire wound on a circular non-
magnetic frame. The coil is mounted vertically on a horizontal base. A compass needle is
placed at the center of the coil.

When current flows through the coil, it creates a magnetic field perpendicular to the Earth’s
horizontal magnetic field. The compass needle aligns along the resultant field, making an
angle θ with the Earth’s field.

The device works on the tangent law described above, which can be used to measure
unknown currents or determine Earth's horizontal magnetic field.

EXPERIMENT
Apparatus Required:
Tangent Galvanometer

Compass needle

Ammeter

Rheostat

Battery eliminator or dry cell

Key (switch)

Connecting wires

Circuit Diagram Description:

The tangent galvanometer is connected in series with a battery, rheostat, key, and ammeter.
The coil plane is aligned with the magnetic meridian.

Experimental Procedure:

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 1. Place the tangent galvanometer on a leveled table aligned with the magnetic meridian.

2. Connect the circuit as described.

3. Confirm the needle points north-south with zero current.

4. Pass current through the coil and note the deflection angle.

5. Vary the current and record multiple readings.

6. Calculate tan θ for each reading.

7. Calculate magnetic field B = BH × tan θ.

​

8. Plot tan θ versus current to verify tangent law.

Observations Table:

S. No Current (A) Deflection (θ) tan(θ) B = BH × tan θ (T)

​

1 0.15 18° 0.3249 1.17 × 10−5

2 0.30 32° 0.6249 2.25 × 10−5

3 0.45 43° 0.9325 3.36 × 10−5

4 0.60 52° 1.2790 4.60 × 10−5

5 0.75 60° 1.7321 6.24 × 10−5

Note: BH ​ = 3.6 × 10−5 T is assumed for calculations.

Graphical Analysis:
To verify the tangent law:

Plot a graph of tan(θ) (Y-axis) versus Current I (A) (X-axis).

The resulting straight line confirms that tan θ ∝ I , validating the tangent law.
The slope of this line can be used to determine BH if B is known using the formula:
​

μ 0 nI
B=
​

2R
​

EXTENDED ANALYSIS

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 The deflection angle increases with current.

At 45∘ , tan θ = 1, simplifying calculations.

The linearity of tan θ vs. current confirms theory.

Errors may arise due to misalignment or external magnetic fields.

Multiple readings improve accuracy.

APPLICATIONS
1. Navigation using magnetic compasses.

2. Geological exploration for mineral deposits.

3. Satellite orientation and space mission safety.

4. Calibration of electrical instruments.

5. Archaeological dating through paleomagnetism.

6. Communication system reliability during solar activity.

ERROR ANALYSIS
Systematic Errors: Misalignment, parallax, calibration inaccuracies, magnetic
interference.

Random Errors: Fluctuating current, environmental disturbances.

Precautions: Proper alignment, parallax-free readings, stable current source, averaging

readings.

VIVA QUESTIONS
1. What is the tangent law?

2. How does the tangent galvanometer work?

3. What is the significance of BH ? ​

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 4. How do you minimize errors in this experiment?

5. How is the Earth’s magnetic field measured using this setup?

CONCLUSION
The experiment verified the tangent law and allowed estimation of Earth’s horizontal
magnetic field using simple apparatus. It demonstrated the practical connection between
electromagnetism and geomagnetism, deepening understanding of both.

DIAGRAM AND GRAPH CAPTIONS

Tangent Galvanometer Setup Diagram
This diagram illustrates a tangent galvanometer comprising a circular coil with multiple
turns, a compass needle at the center, and the directions of magnetic fields. The coil is
oriented along the Earth’s magnetic meridian (north-south). When current flows through the
coil, it produces a magnetic field perpendicular to the Earth’s horizontal magnetic field BH .
​

The compass needle deflects to an angle θ due to the resultant magnetic field, enabling
measurement of BH by applying the tangent law.

Graph of tan(θ) vs Current (I)

The graph shows a linear relationship between the tangent of the deflection angle θ and the
current I passing through the galvanometer coil. This linearity confirms the tangent law:

B
tan θ = ​

BH ​

where B is proportional to the current I , and BH is the horizontal component of the Earth's
​

magnetic field. The slope of the graph can be used to calculate BH if the coil parameters are
​

known.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY
NCERT Physics Practical Manual

Wikipedia

Oxford Illustrative Science

www.slideshare.net

END OF PROJECT
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