Topic : Magnetic fields

Purpose :
To study the behavior of a bar magnet in varying magnetic fields at the end of the solenoid and hence estimate the horizontal component B H of the Earths magnetic fields.

Theoretical background
Actually magnetism is the force that electric currents exert on other electric currents. Magnetism may be created by the motion of electrons in the atoms of certain materials, which are called magnets. Magnetic force may also be produced by ordinary electric current flowing though a coil of wire, called an electromagnet. The magnetic force also may cause attraction or repulsion.

Magnets have many different shapes. The most common are bars magnet bent into u shape. Magnets have a wide variety of uses. Magnet stick to certain metals, can make them useful as fastener. Electric tools, appliance and trains require magnets to run because all electric motor basically consist of a rotating electrical conductor situated between the poles of a stationary magnet. Huge magnets move iron and steel scarps. Tiny magnets on audiotape and videotape store sound and images. Magnets in telephones, radios, and TV sets help change electrical impulses into sounds. Scientists use powerful hold extremely hot gases in nuclear energy research. Some rocks, minerals and meteorites are natural magnets. The earth itself is a giant magnet, and so

are the sun and other stars and most of the planets. Some insects, birds, and fish have extremely small magnets in their bodies. Biologists think these magnets may help animals find their way when migrating. A magnet with two poles, such as bar magnets, is called magnetic dipole. If a bar magnets is hung by a string tied around its middle, it rotates until one end points north and the other end points south. It was north pole and south pole.

A magnetic field is a field of force produced by a magnetic object or particle, or by a changing electrical field and is detected by the force it exerts on other magnetic materials and moving electric charges. The magnetic field at any given point is specified by both a direction and a magnitude (or strength); as such it is a vector field. Besides that, it also can be consider as a region around a magnet where the force of magnetism can be felt is said to contain a magnetic field. Can view the diagram at up there. A magnetic field exerts a force on nearby magnets to make them align along its field lines. The needle of a magnetic compass, for example as a slender of bar magnet. It normally points to north along the earth magnetic field but a strong compass will cause a needle to point along the magnet. Magnets exert forces and torques on each other through the magnetic fields they create. Electrical currents and moving electrical charges produce magnetic fields. Even the magnetic field of a magnetic material can be modeled as being due to moving electrical charges. Magnetic fields also exert forces on moving electrical charges. The magnetic fields within and due to magnetic materials can be quite complicated and is described using two separate fields which can be both called a magnetic field: a magnetic B field and a magnetic H field. Energy is needed to create a magnetic field.

This energy can be reclaimed when the field is destroyed and, therefore, can be considered as being "stored" in the magnetic field. The value of this energy depends on the values of both B and H. A solenoid is a three-dimensional coil wound into a tightly packed helix. In physics, the term solenoid refers to a loop of wire, often wrapped around a metallic core, which produces a magnetic field when an electric current is passed through it. Solenoids are important because they can create controlled magnetic fields and can be used as electromagnets. The term solenoid refers specifically to a magnet designed to produce a uniform magnetic field in a volume of space (where our experiment can prove that).

Apparatus :
1) A retort stands with 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 40cm 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 switch and three connecting wires 10) A rheostat 11) A pair of venire calipers 12) A micrometer screw gauge

Procedure
1) The cork was clamped wait a pin to the retort stand and the bar of magnet was hanging from the pin that using the thread supplied. So that the magnet can stay at the height about 5cm or above the table. 2) All magnetic was kept away including the ammeter. 3) The magnet was allowed to stay stationary. 4) The mirror was placed with the protractor directly below the magnet and the 0 o 180o axis was parallel to the pins on the magnet. 5) The other clamp was used, the solenoid was hold in a horizontal position at the same level with magnet. 6) The orientation of the solenoid was adjusted so that its axis was perpendicular to the axis of the magnet. 7) Rheostat, ammeter, power supply and switch was connected to the solenoid in series. 8) Ammeter should be kept from the magnet at least 50cm. 9) The arrangement of apparatus should look as in figure 10a. 10) The rheostat was adjusted to maximum resistance and the switch was closed. 11) The reading of the ammeter was recorded and the average deflection of the magnet from 0o -180o axis. 12) The value of the resistance of the rheostat was decreased in stages so as to change the value of I and then the corresponding value of was measured.

13) All measurement of I, and tan were recorded. A graph of tan against I was plotted. 14) At the point where I = 0.20 A, the gradient s of the tan against I was calculated. 15) The solenoid was removed and i) the internal diameter D of the solenoid ii) average diameter d of the wire used in the solenoid iii) length L of the solenoid were measured. 16) Values of d and L were used to estimate the number of turns N in the solenoid. 17) The value of the horizontal component BH if the Earths magnetic field was calculated by using the following estimation.

Where 0 = 4

x 10-7Hm-1 and l = 0.030m.

Result / Observation
Current, I /A 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0 Deflection, 0o 1.0o 1.5
o

Tan 0 0.010 0.026 0.038 0.065 0.080 0.126 0.141 0.164

2.2o 3.7o 4.6o 7.2o 8.0o 9.3o

Gradient of the graph = = 0.25

The internal diameter D of the solenoid

= 18.71mm = 18.7 x 10-3 m

Average diameter d of the wire of solenoid = 1.30 mm = 1.3 x 10-3 m

Number of turns N in the solenoid = 35

Length L of the solenoid =

d2

= = 0.14

Horizontal component of the Earths magnetic field,

BH =

{
= 2.83 x 10-5 T

Discussion
I have conducted this experiment together with my partner Haslam and Hilmi. We was facing many tough problem during conduct this experiment. Firstly, the problem we faced was connecting the wires between rheostat, ammeter, power supply, switch, and the solenoid to make a series circuit. It was not easy to conduct especially the rheostat. The positive and negative for rheostat was different but we thought it was same, so the ammeter wont move. After we try and try finally ammeter show it move already but it move backward to 0. Besides that, we also found some difficulties on the power supply. We used alternative current to done this experiment. The ammeter move non-stop when we using alternative current. When I do this experiment, I cannot get the result of deflection when current, I is 0.1A. This is because the current is too small, so the deflection will occur. When I repeat the experiment one more time, I get same result of deflection. The other factor that we could not get the accurate data was because the magnetic bar that we use is not very strong. So it affect the whole data because the strength of magnetic field is very important in this experiment. In addition, the most biggest obstacle that we meet was the way to stop the magnet that was hanging to stop moving. No matter how hard we try that magnet also cannot stop moving. We try to make the magnet becoming more stable by putting the pin on the end on the magnet but its still moving. Therefore we try to adjust the thread but failed to stop it from m oving. At the end we seek for Pn Norainis help. Finally the mysterious solved, we put another 1 more magnet in the solenoid so the hanging magnet was affected by the magnetic field.

Based on the experiment I found that, the internal diameter of the solenoid is 18.71mm, the average diameter of the wire of solenoid is 1.30 mm, length of the solenoid is 140 mm by measuring the solenoid and wire by using the meter rule, venires calipers and micrometer screw gauge. The most accurate measuring apparatus was

electric venier calipers. The value of number of turns in the solenoid is 35. Based on the magnetic field formula, the result I get was 2.83 x 10-5 T for horizontal component BH of the Earths magnetic field. A graph of tan against I have been plotted. The graph showed a straight line of tan against I. This showed that the tan is proportional to the current, I. The gradient of the graph was 0.25. The exactly magnitude for the magnetic field was is 5.0 x 10-5 T but the result I get was 2.83 x 10-5 T. My result was slightly difference from the exactly magnitude because of some mistake that we have done in the experiment.

Precaution methods

1) Placing the eye on the line of view that perpendicular to the scale read to avoid parallax error occur and take the wrong reading. 2) The fan must switched off to prevent the vibration of the magnet to avoid random error occur. 3) We must use the mirror in the ammeter to avoid the zero errors and parallax error. 4) The solenoid should be holded in a horizontal position at the same level of the magnet to make sure the maximum deflection of the magnet with different current. 4) The ammeter should be kept at least 50 cm from the magnet to prevent the ammeter affect the magnetic field of the magnet.

Conclusion
The magnitude of earths magnetic field is 5.0 x 10-5 T but based on my experiment the value was 4.473 x 10-4 T and it just a estimation. Besides that the magnet will showed deflection when placed with solenoid because it will affected the magnetic field.

Reference
Book POH LIONG YONG (2008) PHYSICS for MATRICULATION SEMESTAR 2, Oxford Fajar sdn.bhd Poh Liong Yong, Lee Beng Hin, Jonathan Wong ( 2007 ) Physics volume 2 Ace Ahead, Oxford Fajar sdn.bhd Poh Liong Yong ( 2006 ) SPTM Physics volume 2, Penerbitan Pelangi Sdn Bhd Poh Liong Yong. Lee Beng Hin ( 2009 ) Q & A for Matriculation Physics Semester 2

Internet Solenoid. Retrieved August 5, 2010, from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solenoid Magnetic Field . Retrieved 5 August, 2010, from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetic Field Faradays Laws Retrieved 5 August, 2010, from Wikipedia : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faraday's_law_of_induction