Measuring the Magnetic Field at SEC-C 106, Ateneo de Manila University

PS 53.1 A Experiment 6 By James Hernandez and Jomel Maroma Performed 21 February 2014 Submitted 26 February 2014

Introduction
Using the law of Biot and Savart, we can derive an equation that computes for the magnetic eld at the center of a circular loop with N coils (see appendix section for the details of the derivation). This expression is 0 N I B= (1) 2a Tm , N is the number of loops, I is the current on the loop, and a is the where u0 is 4 102 A radius of the loop. The direction of Bx is given by the right-hand rule. In this experiment, the magnetic eld of the Earth at SEC-C 105 A, Ateneo de Manila University was determined using a mounted circular coil with a compass stand, magnetic compass, 0.5 ohm resistor, ammeter, and a low voltage power supply. Current was allowed to ow through the coil, producing a magnetic eld which caused the magnet to deect at a certain angle. The voltage was adjusted so that the compass would deect by 45 . At this angle, the magnetic eld caused by the Earth and the magnetic eld produced by the loop should be, in theory, equal. The value of the current owing through the circuit at this voltage was then measured using an ammeter, and the value of the magnetic eld produced by the loop was calculated using formula 1. Uncertainties in the values were calculated accordingly.

Results
Table 1: Table 1. Characteristics of the Loop Quantity (Unit) Value Number of Loops 12 Diameter of the Loop d(m) 0.154 0.001 Radius of the Loop r(m) 0.0770 0.0005 Current on the Loop I (A) 0.516 0.001 Magnetic Field at the center of the loop (T ) (5.1 0.1)105 Magnetic Field at the center of the loop (G) 0.51 0.01 Table 1 presents the characteristics of the loop after current is induced. There is a signicant dierence between the magnetic eld in the current location with the earths average magnetic eld of approximately 1G.

Discussion
In determining the magnetic eld aon a particular location, the compass is rst calibrated such that, the direction it is pointing at is 45 degrees from the original direction, that is, 45 degrees from the direction of the magnetic eld of the location. Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of the setup and Figure 2 shows the path of the magnetic eld as current pass through 1

the loop. It is noted that the magnetic eld follows the Biot-Savart Law:

Figure 1: A schematic diagram for the Loop setup

Figure 2: A representation of the magnetic eld vector in the loop The magnitude of the Earths magnetic eld, as measured from the Earths surface, ranges from 0.3 to 0.6 Gauss (Nave, 2014). The value that was calculated in the experiment, however, was just 4.7 105 Tesla or 0.47 Gauss. This slight deviation could be attributed to the following: In the calculations, two assumptions were made: that the magnetic eld of the Earth was in parallel or was on the same plane as the magnetic eld generated by the Earths magnetic eld, and that the value of the magnetic constant (0 ) at the location was the value of the magnetic constant in vacuum. In reality, however, the magnetic eld induced by the current could not have been exactly on the same plane as the Earths magnetic eld, that is, the angle at which the magnetic eld lines intersect the plane containing the needle of the compass might not be exactly 0 . If this were the case, then adjustments have to be made on (1). If the experimenters were to conduct the experiment again, they would make sure that the compass is in level with the ground or that it is not tilted to further improve the quality of their data. They would do this by using a level gauge or inclinometer. Also, the value of the magnetic constant (0 ) at the location could have been slightly dierent with the value of the magnetic constant (0 ) in vacuum. If the experimenters were to conduct the experiment again, they would perform the experiment in a place where the pressure is much less than atmospheric pressure, just like in a vacuum. Other devices and equipment in the lab cellphones, computers, wires with current owing through them, and even other groups setups could have generated a magnetic eld that, albeit insignicantly, exerted a magnetic force on the experimenters compass. If the experimenters were to conduct the experiment again, they would do it in a relatively isolated place where there are no other electrical equipment that could aect their results. 2

The strength of the magnetic eld varies over the Earths surface. As an analog of the bar magnet, it is strongest at the poles and weakest at the equator. This is because at each location on the Earth, the eld lines intersect the surface of the Earth at dierent locations (e.g. near the equator, the eld lines are approximately parallel to the Earths surface, and the inclination angle is said to be 0 ). Therefore, if the experiment were conducted in a dierent place, a dierent magnetic eld strength would be measured. Moreover, the strength of the Earths magnetic eld is slightly changing, due to the shift in alignment of the Earth (Nave, 2014).

Conclusion
The result of the experiment lies within the ranges of the Earths average magnetic eld, and therefore making the experiment accurate of measuring the magnetic eld of a location, with appropriate uncertainties.

References
Nave, HyperPhysics [Internet]. Georgia State University [updated 2014; cited 13 Jan 2014] Available from: http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/electric/resis.html http://www.unc.edu/depts/oceanweb/turtles/geomag.html

Appendix: Derivation of Magnetic Field along a Current Carrying Wire

The magnetic eld is dependent on where the measuring instrument is placed. Computations for determining the magnitude of the magnetic eld depends on the current owing for, in instance for this experiment, a coiled wire, and the distance of the coil to an arbitrary point P. It is clearly stated in the Biot-Savart Law dB = 0 Idl r 2 4 r

where 0 is the magnetic constant, 4 107 T /m2 . In integral form, the Biot-Savart Law states that the total magnetic eld along the loop circumference, where a is the radius of the loop, and x is the horizontal distance of the loops center: 0 Ia B= 2 da 4 (x2 + a2 ) 3 2 for N loops: B= 0 N Ia3 2(x2 + a2 ) 2
3

For this experiment, the measurement is made such that the distance x is zero, or that the measurement is taken at the within the loops plane. In this case, the magnitude of the magnetic eld B is 0 N I B= 2a