JAI GURU DEV

MAHARISHI INTERNATIONAL
RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL
PHYSICS INVESTIGATORY PROJECT

(ACADEMIC YEAR-2025-2026)

TOPIC: TO STUDY THE EARTH'S MAGNETIC FIELD

NAME: P.SIDHARTH
CLASS:XII
SECTION: A4
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 INDEX

1) AIM
2) INTRODUCTION
3) THEORY
4) PRINCIPLE
5) WORKING
 OBSERVATION
 GRAPH

6) CONCLUSION
7) APPLICATIONS
8) DISADVANTAGES
9) PRECAUTIONS
10) BIBILOGRAPHY

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 AIM OF THE PROJECT
The aim of the project is to study the Earth’s Magnetic
and find its value (BH) using a tangent galvanometer.

TANGENT GALVANOMETER

OVERVIEW
The tangent galvanometer was first described in an 1837
by Claude-Servais- Mathias Pouillet, who later employed
this sensitive form of galvanometer to verify Ohm’s law.
To use the galvanometer, it is first set up on a level
surface and the coil aligned with the magnetic north-
south direction. This means that the compass needle at
the middle of the coil is parallel with the plane of the coil
when it carries no current. The current to be measured is
now sent through the coil, and produces a magnetic field,
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perpendicular to the plane of the coil and is directly proportional to
the current.
The magnitude of the magnetic field produced
by the coil is B; the magnitude of the horizontal
component the Earth’s magnetic field is B’. the compass
needle aligns itself along the vector sum of B and B’ after
rotating through an angle Ø from its original orientation.
The vector diagram shows that tan Ø = B/B’. since the
magnetic field of the Earth is constant, and B depends
directly on the current, the current is thus proportional to
the tangent of the angle through which the needle has
turned.

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
working of tangent galvanometer is based on the tangent law.It is
stated as when a magnet is suspended freely in magnetic field F and
H, the magnet comes to rest making an angle θ with the direction H
such that, F=Htan θ  (1)
When a bar magnet is suspended in two magnetic fields
B and Bh, it comes to rest making an angle θ with the
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directions of Bh. Let a current I be passed through the coil of radius
R, having turns N. the magnetic field produced at the centre of the coil
is, F= μ0 2 π IN/4 π R (2)
Let H is the horizontal component of earth’s magnetic field and the
magnetic needle comes to rest at angle θ with the direction of H, then
according Eq.(1),
Htan θ= μ02 π IN/4 π R
Htan θ= 10-17* 2 π IN / R
H=2 π*10 -17
IN/Rtan θ (3)
By substituting the value of current I , from Eq.(3),
Tan θ/I=( μ0 /4 π )*( 2 πN/ R H )(4)
Radius of coil of galvanometer R, deflection θ and N, the
value of H can be calculated.

PRINCIPLE
Connections are made as shown in the figure given below, where K is
the key, E is the battery, A is the ammeter, R is the rheostat, C the
commutator, and T.G is 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 T.G coil relative to the earth’s magnetic field H.

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 WORKING
1. Make the circuit connections in accordance with the circuit
diagram.
2. Using spirit level, level the base and the 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, its
image in the plane mirror fixed at the base of the compass box and the
coil, I.e., all
4. These three lie in the same vertical plane. In this setting,
5. The ends of the aluminium pointer should read 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 marks.
6. By closing the key K, the current flow in the galvanometer. Read
the both ends of the pointer. Now reverse the direction of current by
using the reversing key. When the mean values of both deflections
shown by the pointer in the two cases(i.e., before and after reversing
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 the current) differ by more than 1 0 , then turn slightly the vertical
coil until the two values agree. This will set the plane of the coil
exactly in the magnetic meridian.
7. By adjusting the rheostat, bring the deflection in galvanometer
around 45 0 . The deflection should notbe outside the range(30 0 -60 0
).
8. Record the readings of the ammeter and the deflection of the
compass needle in the box shown by two ends of pointer on the scale.
9. Reverse the current in the coil of galvanometer and again record the
current and deflection of needle.
10. By changing the value of current, take four or more set of readings
and plot the graph between I and tan θ . The graph will be a straight
line.
11. Measure the inner and the outer diameter of the coil with a half
meter scale at least three times.

OBSERVATIONS
1. Range of the ammeter -
2. least count of ammeter -
3. zero error in ammeter -
4. Number of turns used(N) –
TABLE 1. FOR VARIATION OF θ WITH I

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TABLE 1. FOR VARIATION OF θ WITH I

Table 2. for radius of tangent

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Mean radius of coil R=8.04 x 10 -2

GRAPH

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Slope of straignt line=BC/AC
m= tan θ /I

Now substitute the m in Eq.(4),

m=( μ *2 πN)/(4 π RH)

H=7.6867 x 10-8 T

CONCLUSION
The value of earth’s magnetic field by using a tangent
galvanometer is
H=7.6867 x 10 -8 T

APPLICATONS
1. T.G can be used to measure the magnitude of
the horizontal component of the geomagnetic
field.
2. The principle can be used to compare the
galvanometer constants.

DISADVANTAGES
1.Less accurate than other galvanometer types
2.Struggles with very high or very low currents
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 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 in magnetic meridian.
4. There should be no parallax in noting down the readings of
ammeter and deflections.
5. All the readings should be adjusted between 30O and 60O

BIBILOGRAPHY
1.NCERT BOOKS
2.INTERNET WEBSITES
 WWW.GOOGLE.COM
 WWW.WIKIPEDIA.COM
 WWW.ELECTRICALEASY.COM

…..…….…….THANK YOU…………….

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