DELHI PUBLIC SCHOOL

MORADABAD
SESSION: 2019-20
PHYICS INVESTIGATORY
PROJECT ON:EARTH’S MAGNETISM

SUBMITTED TO:
CENTRAL BOARD OF SECONDARY EDUCATION

SUBMITTED TO: SUBMITTED BY:

DR.ANKIT MAHESHWARI LAVANSH ARORA
(CLASS-XII SCIENCE)

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
In the accomplishment of this project successfully, many
people have best owned their blessings and the heart pledged
support, this time i am utilizing to thank all the people who have
been concerned with the project.

Primarily i would thank god for being able to complete the

project with success. Then I would like to thank principal Mr.
Sudsrshan sonar and my physics teachers Dr. Ankit
Maheshwari, Ms.Ritika Tandon ,Ms. Aditi Tandon and Mr.
Jaswant Singh, whose valuable guidance has been the ones
that helped me patch this project and make it full proof success
their suggestions and instructions has served as the major
contributors towards the completion of the project.

Then i would like to thank my parents and my friends who have

helped me with their valuable suggestions’ and guidance has
been helpful in various phases of the completion of the project.

Last but not the least i would like to thank my class who has
helped me a lot.

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 CRTIFICATE

THIS IS TO CERTIFY THAT LAVANSH ARORA,STUDENT OF

CLASS XII A, DELHI PUBLIC SCHOOL MORADADAD HAS
COMPLETED THE PROJECT TITLED “EARTH’S MAGNETISM”
DURING THE ACADEMIC YEAR 2019-20 TOWARDS PRATIAL
FULFILMENT OF CREDIT FOR THE PHYSICS PRACTICAL
EVALUATION OF CBSE 2019-20,AND SUBMIMITTED
SATISFACTORY REPORT, AS COMPILED IN THE FOLLOWING
PAGES,UNDER MY SUPERVISION.

MR SUDARSHAN SONAR DR. ANKIT MAHESHWARI

(PRINCIPAL)

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 INTRODUCTION

1. EARTH’S MAGNETIC FIELD

2. TERMS REGARDING EARTH’S MAGNETISM
3. Theory of Earth’s Magnetism

4. Components of Earth’s Magnetic Field

 Magnetic Declination

 Horizontal Component of Earth’s Magnetic Field

 The angle of Dip or Magnetic Inclination

5. The Formula for Earth’s Magnetic Field

6. Variations in Earth’s Magnetic Field

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Earth's magnetic field

Earth's magnetic field, also known as the geomagnetic field, is

the magnetic field that extends from the Earth's interior out into
space, where it interacts with the solar wind, a stream of charged
particles emanating from the Sun. The magnetic field is generated
by electric currents due to the motion of convection currents of
molten iron in the Earth's outer core: these convection currents are
caused by heat escaping from the core, a natural process called
a geodynamo. The magnitude of the Earth's magnetic field at its
surface ranges from 25 to 65 microteslas (0.25 to 0.65 gauss). As an
approximation, it is represented by a field of a magnetic
dipole currently tilted at an angle of about 11 degrees with respect
to Earth's rotational axis, as if there were an enormous bar
magnet placed at that angle through the center of the Earth.
The North geomagnetic pole, which was in 2015 located
on Ellesmere Island, Nunavut, Canada, in the northern hemisphere,
is actually the south pole of the Earth's magnetic field, and
conversely.
While the North and South magnetic poles are usually located near
the geographic poles, they slowly and continuously move over
geological time scales, but sufficiently slowly for
ordinary compasses to remain useful for navigation. However, at
irregular intervals averaging several hundred thousand years, the
Earth's field reverses and the North and South Magnetic
Poles respectively, abruptly switch places. These reversals of
the geomagnetic poles leave a record in rocks that are of value
to paleomagnetists in calculating geomagnetic fields in the past.
Such information in turn is helpful in studying the motions of
continents and ocean floors in the process of plate tectonics.
The magnetosphere is the region above the ionosphere that is
defined by the extent of the Earth's magnetic field in space. It
extends several tens of thousands of kilometers into space,
protecting the Earth from the charged particles of the solar
wind and cosmic rays that would otherwise strip away the upper
atmosphere, including the ozone layer that protects the Earth
from harmful ultraviolet radiation.

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TERMS REGARDING EARTH’S MAGNETISM

 GEOGRAPHIC AXIS: The straight line passing through the

geographical north and geographical south poles of the earth is
called GEOGRAPHIC AXIS. It is the axis of rotation.

 GEOGRAPHIC MERIDIAN: The vertical plane passing through

the geographic north and south is called GEOGRAPHIC
MERIDIAN.

 MAGNETIC MERIDIAN: The vertical plane passing through

the magnetic axis of a freely suspended magnet is called the
MAGNETIC MERIDIAN.

 MAGNETIC AXIS: The straight line passing through the

magnetic north and magnetic south poles of the earth is called
MAGNETIC AXIS.

 Magnetic equator: It is the great circle on the earth

perpendicular to the magnetic axis.

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Theory of Earth’s Magnetism

There is no concrete reason for the cause of the earth’s magnetism. However,
there are a few theories that revolve around it. Some of the theories
are mentioned below:

 In 1600, William Gilbert in his book ‘De Magnet’ first suggested that the
earth behaves as a bar magnet and its magnetism is due to presence of
magnetic material at its centre, which could be a permanent magnet.
However, the core of earth is so hat that permanent magnet could not exist
there.

 The Dynamo Effect: The outer core of the earth has molten Iron and
other heavy elements in liquid form. The inner core solidifies under the
influence of gravity. Therefore, the motion of metallic fluids in the
outer core of the earth causes an electric current. Thus, the earth gets its
own magnetic field lines.

 Ionization of the Outer Layers: This theory tells us that the rotation of
the earth in its own axis produces strong electric current due to the
ionization of the outer layers of earth. This produces magnetism due to
the movement of the ions. However, the magnetic field will be very
weak. The Dynamo Effect is the more acceptable theory.

 According to Sir E. Bullard and W.M Elaster, there are large deposits
of iron, nickel, etc. in the core of earth. The core of the earth is hot and
molten. The circulating ions in the highly conducting liquid region of
earth’s core from current loop and hence produce a magnetic field.
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Components of Earth’s Magnetic Field

Near the surface of Earth, the magnetic field of the planet can be resolved in
different directions. These are the components that are responsible for the
magnitude and direction of the magnetic field of the earth at a given location:

 Magnetic Declination

 Horizontal Component of Earth’s Magnetic Field

 The angle of Dip or Magnetic Inclination

 Magnetic Declination
When a magnetic needle is suspended freely in the air, it always points in the
north-south direction free form all other attracting forces. This is known
as Magnetic Meridian.

Magnetic Declination is defined as the angle made by the Magnetic meridian

with the geographic meridian. Here geographic meridian is defined as the
plane passing through the north and south poles of the earth.

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  Horizontal Component of Earth’s Magnetic Field

It is the component of earth’s total magnetic field B in the horizontal direction

in the magnetic meridian. If α is the angle of dip at any place , then the
horizontal component of earth’s magnetic field at that point will be given by

BH=Bcosα

 The Angle of Dip or Magnetic Inclination

Take a magnetic needle and suspend it freely so that it can rotate about a
horizontal axis as shown in the diagram below:

The angle of dip or magnetic inclination

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The angle that the north pole of the needle makes with the horizontal axis is
known as the Angle of Dip or Magnetic Inclination.

The Formula for Earth’s Magnetic Field

The magnetic intensity of the earth’s magnetic field makes an angle known
as Angle of Dip (δ) with the horizontal axis. We can separate the intensity of
the earth’s magnetic field into two components:

 Horizontal Component(H)

 Vertical Component(v)

There are times when these elements undergo regular or irregular changes at
all places on earth. Why does this happen? Following are some of the
important variations of the elements.

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Variations in Earth’s Magnetic Field

 Secular Variation: The magnetic axis undergoes a periodic change

because of its spin around its own axis from east to west. The time
cycle of this variation is 960 years.

 Eleven-year Sunspot Cycle: Once in every eleven years, the earth

faces the sunspot which is a region of the strong magnetic field. Thus
the magnetic activity of the earth is very much influenced by this
variation.

 Daily and Annual Variation: The ultraviolet rays from the sun ionize
the earth’s atmosphere. As a result of which the current is generated
which further produces the magnetic field. This is the result of daily
and annual variations.

 Lunar Variations: Apart from the sun, the moon also influences the
magnetic activity of earth. Due to the tidal motions of the earth’s
ionized layer during a lunar eclipse, there is variation in earth’s
magnetic field. This variation is the Lunar Variation.

 Irregular and Aperiodic Variation: During a particular period of

time when the solar activity of the sun is more active, the radiations
from the sun ionize the atmosphere of the earth. This causes current
when the earth revolves around its own axis resulting in the magnetic
field.

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