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Purpose
1. 2. 3. To study the tangent galvanometer.

PHYS102 15

TANGENT GALVANOMETER

To measure the horizontal component of the earth's magnetic field. To find the magnitude of the earth's magnetic field.

Background
The earth exhibits a weak magnetic field at a given point on the earth's surface. This field has a horizontal component (parallel to the earth) and a vertical component (perpendicular to the earth). We will use an obsolete instrument, the tangent galvanometer, to measure the horizontal component of the field. We will then use a dip needle to measure the angle the total field makes with the horizontal. Knowledge of these two pieces of information will allow us to find the magnitude of the total field.

Method
A coil subjects a compass needle to a magnetic field Bc at right angles to the horizontal component of the earth's field Beh.

The compass needle comes to rest along the resultant B = Beh + Bc at an angle from North, where tan = Bc / Beh (1)

KFUPM PHYSICS revised 26/06/2010

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Department of Physics Dhahran 31261

26-Jun-10

PHYS102 15

(hence the name tangent galvanometer). This equation allows us to find Beh if we measure Bc and . A dip needle is then used to measure the angle between the horizontal and the direction of the total magnetic field of the earth. Data 1. Carefully unscrew the entire compass case from the base. Measure and record d, the diameter of the coil. Remount the compass case. Be sure that the compass needle is free to rotate. If not let down the device which protects the needle by means of the screw under the compass case. Align the coil along the North-South axis using the compass needle as a guide. (This is something of a matter of judgment, but the eye is surprisingly good at these kinds of things.) Turn the compass needle case until the compass needle points to 90o, and the reading needle to 0o. Do not disturb the alignment of the instrument for the rest of the experiment. Hook up the circuit below. Start with the N = 5 turns tap of the coil.

2.

3.

4.

You will find that the components of the circuit influence the compass needle slightly. Try to minimize this effect by keeping the tangent galvanometer at a distance from them. 5. With the rheostat set to maximum resistance, turn on the power supply and set the voltage to some value, say, 10.0 Volts. Vary the rheostat until a value of = 45o is obtained. Record the value of current. Repeat the procedure for the N = 10 and N = 15 taps. According to equation (1) this value of Bc is such that Beh = Bc . Orient the dip needle provided along the direction of the earth's field (North-South direction) and measure the angle between the horizontal and the earth's total field. 56
Department of Physics Dhahran 31261

6.

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Calculations 1. Using the Biot-Savart law

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Bc =

o i 4

| dL x r | r3
(2)

you can show that the field at the centre of the coil is given by Bc = N o I / 2 R 2.

Use this expression to calculate the value of Bc = Beh from the three values of current obtained above. Average the three values of Beh. The accepted value of the horizontal component of the earth's field at Dhahran is 0.33x10-4 T. What is the percent difference between your value and this value? Is this error reasonable in view of the errors made in the various measurements? Use the angle found in (6) above to calculate the magnitude of the earth's total field. Draw a diagram clearly showing the various components and angles used in this calculation. The earth's field is often estimated as 0.5 gauss. How does your values compare with this?

3.

4.

KFUPM PHYSICS revised 26/06/2010

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Department of Physics Dhahran 31261