Measuring Earth’s

magnetic field
using Tangent
Galvanometer

Made by: VISHWATEJA

Roll no: 5648057
CERTIFICATE
_ _

This is to certify that VISHWATEJA of class

XII-A has completed the physics project
entitled: ‘Measuring Earth’s magnetic field
using a tangent galvanometer’, herself and
under the guidance of Mrs. PRAVEENA .
All the work related to the thesis had been
done by the candidate herself. The
approach was sincere and scientific.

Mrs. praveena Examiner

(Subject teacher)
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I am grateful to the Almighty to give me
strength to successfully complete my
project.

This project wouldn’t have been feasible

without the proper and rigorous guidance
of my Physics teacher Mrs. praveena,
who guided me throughout this project
in every possible way.

I am deeply indebted to my school for

providing the best of facilities and
environment to bring out our innovation
and spirit of inquiry through this venture.
Index
 Materials Required
 Principle
 Diagram
 Theory
 Procedure
 Observations
 Calculations
 Result
 Precautions
 Sources of error
 Bobliography
Materials Required

 Tangent galvanometer (TG),

 Rheostat (R),
 Battery (E),
 Ammeter (A),
 Key (k)
 Reversing key
 Connecting wires
 Metre scale
Principle
When a bar magnet is suspended in two
Magnetic fields B and Bh, it comes to rest
making an angle θ with the direction of
Bh.
Diagram
Theory
Tangent galvanometer is an early

measuring instrument for small electric

currents. It consists of a coil of insulated

copper wire wound on a circular non-

magnetic frame. Its working is based on

the principle of the tangent law of

magnetism. When a current is passed

through the circular coil, a magnetic field

(B) is produced at the center of the coil in

a direction perpendicular to the plane of

the coil. The TG is arranged in such a way

that the horizontal component of earth’s
magnetic field (Bh) is in the direction of

the plane of the coil. The magnetic needle

is then under the action of two mutually

perpendicular fields. If θ is the deflection

of the needle, then according to tangent

law,

Let I is the current passing through the

coil of radius a with n turns, then the field

generated by the current carrying circular

coil is,
Equating (1) and (2), we get,

The left hand side of equation (4) is a

constant and is called the reduction factor

(K) of the given tangent galvanometer.

Now from equation (3) & (5), the
horizontal intensity of earth’s magnetic

field Bh is,
Procedure
For performing in real life

Connections are made as shown in the figure,

where K is the key, E the battery, A the ammeter,
R the rheostat, C the commutator, and T.G the
tangent galvanometer.

The commutator can reverse the current through

the T.G coil without changing the current in the
rest of the circuit.

Taking the average of the resulting two readings

for deflection averages out, any small error in
positioning the TG coil relative to the earth’s
magnetic field Bh .
The magnetic field can be calculated as
follows:
1. Make the circuit connections in accordance
with the circuit diagram.

2. Using a spirit level, level the base and

compass needle in compass box of tangent
galvanometer by adjusting the leveling
screw.

3. Now rotate the coil of the galvanometer

about its vertical axis, till the magnetic
needle, its image in the plane of the mirror
fixed at the base of the compass box and the
coil ie all these three lie in the same vertical
plane. In this setting, the ends of aluminum
pointer should reads zero-zero. If this is not
so, rotate the box without disturbing the
position of the coil till at least one of the
ends of the pointer stands at the zero mark.
4. By closing the key K, the current flows in the
galvanometer. Read the both ends of the
pointer. Now reverse the direction of current
by using the reserve key. when the mean
values of deflections shown by the pointer in
two cases (i.e. before and after reversing the
current) differ by more than 1o, then turn
slightly the vertical coil until the two values
agree. This will set the plane of the coil
exactly in the magnetic meridian.

5. By adjusting the rheostat, bring the

deflection in galvanometer around 45
degree. The deflection should not be outside
the range(30-60).

6. Record the reading of the ammeter and the

deflection of the compass needle in a box
shown by two ends of pointer of the scale.

7. Reverse the current in the coil of the

galvanometer and again record the current
and deflection of needle.
8. By changing the value of current, take four
more set of reading and plot the graph
between I and tan. The graph will be a
straight line.
9. Measure the inner and outer diameter of the
coil with a half metre scale at least 3 times.
Observations
Range of ammeter r= A
Least count of ammeter = A
Zero error in ammeter = A

Number of turns used (N)=

Table for Variation of  with I.
S. Value of deflection, 
No. Mean Tan Ammeter Reading
For direct For reverse  (A)
current current
1 2 3 4 Observed Corrected
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Table for radius of tangent galvanometer

S. no. Inner Outer Mean Mean
diameter diameter Diameter Radius
d1 d2 d
1.
2.
3.
Calculations

Result
The value of earth’s magnetic field by usingtangent
galvanometer is

H= , G= T
Precautions
1.The battery should be freshly charged.
2.The magnetic needle should swing freely in the
horizontal plane.
3.The plane of coil must be set inmagnetic
meridian.
4.All the readings must be adjusted between30o
and 600.

Sources of error
1.There may be a magnetic material around the
apparatus.
2. The plane of the coil will not be exactly in the
magnetic meridian.
Bibliography

 www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galvanometer

https://www.toppr.com/guides/physics/magnetism-and-
matter/the-earths-magnetism/