MAPPING OF MAGNETIC FIELD DUE TO BAR

MAGNET AND TO DETERMINE ITS MAGNETIC

MOMENT

Magnetic Moment
DEFINITION : The magnetic moment of a magnet can be defined as the
quantity that finds the force a magnet is able to exert on electric currents and
the torque that the magnetic field will exert on it.

Magnetic moment can be basically explained as a vector that has magnitude as

well as a direction. The direction of the magnetic moment points from the south
to the North Pole of a magnet.The magnetic field created by a magnet is directly
proportional to its magnetic moment. The term magnetic moment is about the
system’s magnetic dipole moment. The dipole component of an object’s
magnetic field is symmetric about the direction of its magnetic dipole moment
and decreases as the inverse cube of the distance from the object.

Magnetic moment is also known as a magnetic dipole moment and its positive
direction is dependent on the way an object reacts to the magnetic field. Objects
tend to place themselves in such a way that the magnetic moment vector then
becomes parallel to the magnetic field lines. Magnetic moment can be produced
in two ways:

 The Motion of Electric Charge

 Spin Angular Momentum

Formula
If m is the power of any magnetic pole then the magnets magnetic dipole
moment is provided by the vector M and it is articulated as

Where, m = Strength of any magnetic dipole , u = Magnet length.

Unit : 1 Amp-m2 = 1 J T -1.

Mapping of magnetic field due to bar

magnet
A bar magnet is placed on a plane sheet of a paper. A compass needle is placed
near the north pole of the magnet. The north and south poles of the compass are
marked by pencil dots. The compass needle is shifted and placed so that its
south pole touches the pencil dot marked for north pole. The process is repeated
and a series of dots are obtained. The dots are joined as a smooth curve. This
curve is a magnetic line of force. Even though few lines are drawn around a bar
magnet the magnetic lines exists in all space around the magnet.

(i) Magnet placed with its north pole facing geographic north

A sheet of paper is fixed on a drawing board. Using a compass needle, the

magnetic meridian is drawn on it. A bar magnet is placed on the magnetic
meridian such that its north pole points towards geographic north. Using a
compass needle, magnetic lines of force are drawn around the magnet. (Fig.)

The magnetic lines of force is due to the combined effect of the magnetic field
due to the bar magnet and Earth. It is found that when the compass is placed at
points P and P ′ along the equatorial line of the magnet, the compass shows no
deflection. They are called neutral points. At these points the magnetic field due
to the magnet along its equatorial line (B) is exactly balanced by the horizontal
component of the Earths magnetic field. (B h).

Hence, neutral points are defined as the points where the resultant magnetic
field due to the magnet and Earth is zero.

Hence, at neutral point B = Bh

(ii) Magnet placed with its south pole facing geographic north

A sheet of paper is fixed on a drawing board. Using a compass needle, the

magnetic meridian is drawn on it. A bar magnet is placed on a magnetic
meridian such that its south pole facing geographic north. Using a compass
needle, the magnetic lines of force are drawn around the magnet as shown in
Fig.

The magnetic lines of force is due to the combined effect of the magnetic field
due to the bar magnet and Earth. It is found that when the compass is placed at
points P and P ′ along the axial line of the magnet, the compass shows no
deflection. They are called neutral points. At these points the magnetic field (B)
due to the magnet along its axial line is exactly balanced by the horizontal
component of the Earths magnetic field (B h).

Hence at neutral points, B = Bh

BY: LAKSHMI VADHANIE G

XII-B