Topic : Magnetic Fields

Purpose : To study the behavior of a bar magnets in varying magnetic fields at the end of a
solenoid and hence estimate the horizontal component BH of the Earth’s magnetic
fields.

Theory : If a magnet is suspended from a thread, it always ends up pointing in the

same direction. One ends points nearly to the North, the other to the South. The
pole at the end pointing north is called the north seeking pole or N pole. The pole
at the end pointing south is called the south seeking pole or S pole.

Magnetic fields are the region around a magnet where any other magnet or
magnetic materials coming into this field will experience a force.

A solenoid is a special term for a long coil made up of several turns of

wire of the same diameter. The magnetic field of each coil adds up to give a
strong field along the centre line (the axis) of the solenoid. The magnetic field of a
solenoid is very similar to the field around a bar magnet. The coil behaves as if it
has an N pole at one end an S pole at the other end.

Apparatus :

1. A retort stand and two clamps

2. A cork and an optical pin
3. A set of small bar magnet fixed with a pair of optical pins
4. A plane mirror attached to a protractor
5. Thread of length about 40 cm
6. A test – tube wound with copper wires
7. A 2V accumulator or any other stable power supply
8. A (0 – 1)A dc ammeter
9. An on – off swift and three connecting wires
10. A rheostat
11. A pair of vernier calipers
12. A micrometer screw gauge

Procedure :

a. The cork is clamped with a pin to the retort stand. A bar magnet is then
hung from the end of pin that clamped the cork to that similar retort stand
by using a thread so as a result it stays 5 cm above the table. A mirror
along with the protractor is positioned just directly below the magnet with
an 0 o−180o axis parallel to the pin on the magnet.
b. A test – tube made solenoid is hold still by using the other clamp in a
horizontal position, by the side, at the same height and level to the bar
magnet with 3 cm distance from each other. The solenoid now is at the
side of the magnetic bar where the axis of the bar magnet is 90 o from the
axis of the opening mouth of the test – tube made solenoid.
c. An electric circuit is made. A rheostat, ammeter, power supply, and a
switch are connected to solenoid in series order, 50 cm from the magnet
bar set up.
d. The circuit was on to adjust the resistance of the ammeter to its maximum
value and turned off when it is determined.
e. The circuit is turn on again, and the reading of the ammeter, I is recorded
from the average deflection, θ of0 o−180o . The value oftanθis also
calculated and recorded. The circuit is then switch off when it’s all over.
f. A graph of tanθ against I is made. The gradient, s of tanθ against I at the
point of I =0.20 A is then discovered afterward.
g. The solenoid is separated subsequently from the test – tube. All of these
measurements is then measured and recorded at that moment:

i. The internal diameter, D of the solenoid.

ii. The average diameter, d of the wire used in the solenoid.
iii. The length, L of the solenoid.

h. The values of thedand L are later used to estimate the number of turns, N
the solenoid.
i. The value of the horizontal component, BH of the Earth’s magnetic field
using the following estimation.

μ0 N l
BH ≈
2 Ls
{1−

√ I2 +
D2
4
}
Where μ0=4 π ×10−17 H m−1 andl=0.030 m.