CENTRE OF FOUNDATION STUDIES

FOUNDATION PHYSICS II
LABORATORY REPORT

Experiment Earth’s Magnetic Field

Lab Instructor’s Name Dr. Hartini binti Ahmad Rafaie

Date of Experiment 23 March 2023

Member 1 Muhammad Arfan Haziq bin Zaiyan@Mohamad Zaiyan

(2022866254)

Member 2 Nazmi Haikal bin Khairul

(2022873064)

Member 3 Mohamad Faris Man bin Ismail

(2022870124)

Member 4 Mohamad Aiman Fitry bin Shamsuddin

(2022872774)

Marks

Comments
 ABSTRACT
The purpose of this experiment was to determine the magnitude of Earth’s magnetic field, BE
when a fixed amount of current flows across a wire. First, we fixed the value of current. Then,
we adjusted the height of the hanging wire on the retort stands so that the angle, θ would equal to
the angles we had already set. We found that the magnitude of Earth’s magnetic field, BE, is
−5
3. 922 × 10 ± 0. 1 𝑇.

INTRODUCTION
Actually, there is an invisible force field around the Earth which is a giant magnetic field
surrounding the Earth. That is what we call Earth’s magnetic field and also known as
geomagnetic field. It is like a giant bar magnet with the north pole of the magnet near to the top
of the planet and the south pole near the geographic south pole. The magnetic field lines are
pointing from the magnetic South pole to the magnetic North pole.

Geographical poles and magnetic poles are far enough apart for scientists to distinguish them
differently. If you could draw a line between the magnetic poles of the north and the magnetic
poles of the south, you would get a magnetic axis that is tilted 11.3 degrees away from the axis of
rotation of the earth. In addition, the scientists in this world agree that the Earth’s magnetic field
is produced by flowing currents deep inside the Earth. The current is actually produced from
movements of metal inside the earth.
The Earth’s magnetic field also protects this planet from space radiation. This radiation comes
from the Sun's solar wind that has high charged particles. This particle blasted out from the Sun
into space. The Earth’s magnetic field will counter it by changing the solar wind around the
planet, so that it doesn’t impact us. Without the magnetic field, the solar wind would strip away
our atmosphere.

OBJECTIVE
The objective of this experiment was to determine the magnitude of earth’s magnetic field.
 METHODOLOGY

Figure 1,0

1. The apparatus was set upped as shown in figure 1.0

2. The direction of earth’s magnetic north pole was determined using the red dot on the
magnetometer by looking at the deflection of the magnetometer’s needle.

3. The copper was adjusted until it was aligned with the earth’s magnetic north pole and ensured
that the copper wire was parallel and straight to the earth’s magnetic north pole.

4. The height of the wire was adjusted so that the current is exactly on the surface of the
magnetometer.

5.The needle of the magnetometer was adjusted so that it points at 0° position.

6.The power supply was switched on and the rheostat was adjusted until current of 3.0 A flows
in the copper wire.

7.The current was recorded and the power supply was switched back off.

8.The height of the sire was adjusted so that θ is equal to 5°.

9.The height of the wire from the surface of the magnetometer was measured and recorded.

10.Steps 8 until 9 was repeated until θ is 10°,15°,20°,25°

 RESULT

I(A) θ (°) Cot θ L1(m) L2(m) L3(m) Laverage(m)

3 5 11.43 0.20 0.19 0.18 0.19

3 10 5.67 0.16 0.14 0.13 0.14

3 15 3.73 0.11 0.09 0.10 0.10

3 20 2.75 0.06 0.06 0.05 0.06

3 25 2.14 0.05 0.03 0.04 0.04

GRAPH
 ANALYSIS

1. Calculation of Earth’s Magnetic Field:

2π𝐵𝐸
𝑚 = µ0𝐼
𝑚µ0𝐼
𝐵𝑤 = 2π𝑚

Based on the graph, the value of the gradient is 0.0153

−7 −1
(4π×10 𝐻𝑚 )(3.0𝐴)
𝐵𝐸 = 2π(0.0153)
−5
𝐵𝐸 = 3. 922 × 10 𝑇
2. Percentage error:
𝐴𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙 𝑉𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒 − 𝐸𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑉𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒
𝑃𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝐸𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑟 = 𝐴𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙 𝑉𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒
× 100%
−5 −5
4.191×10 − 3.922×10
𝑃𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝐸𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑟 = −5 × 100%
4.191×10
= 6. 42%

DISCUSSION
In this experiment, Magnetometer was placed between the retort stand. Meanwhile, a conducting
wire (copper wire) is tied on the retort stand. 3A current was used in this experiment. The height
of the wire was adjusted so that the angle that was shown in the magnetometer was equal with
the angle that had been planned which were 5◦,10◦,15◦,20◦ and 25◦. The physics concept that had
been used in this experiment was about the earth’s magnetic field. We have used a simple way
for measuring the earth’s magnetic field, by using the magnetometer consisting of a simple coil
and a compass. By using the fact that the compass in a magnetic field will orient in the direction
of the resultant field, and determining the angle formed by the needle with the direction of the
field under study. When the copper wire comes closer to the magnetometer, the needle will
deflect bigger. From this experiment, we can prove the physics concept that we have learnt. The
angle that has been shown by the magnetometer was increased when the copper wire was closer
with it. A graph of length (the distance between the copper wire and magnetometer) vs cot θ
have been made. The gradient of the graph is 0.0153. The sources of error in this part of the
experiment may be due to the various magnetic fields present from electronic devices (and
electric appliances) that interfered with the Earth’s magnetic field and subsequently, the
experiment. Besides, maybe there was parallax and random error in eyeballing angular readings
from the compass and determining the true directions of the magnetic fields. It was also hard to
get the accurate current as we found it was a little bit hard to use the rheostat. Fortunately, when
−5
we calculated the Earth’s Magnetic Field from our experiment 3. 922 × 10 ± 0. 1 𝑇 it was not
−5
far from the theoretical one ( 4.191×10 T ). So our percentage error was 6.42%.
 CONCLUSION
The objective of this experiment was to determine the magnitude of Earth’s magnetic field and
−5
we have determined the value of the earth’s magnetic field,BE which is 3. 922 × 10 ± 0. 1 𝑇
with percentage error of 6.42% .

REFERENCE

A’bir, Ahmad, Aida, Aishah, Fadiatul, Hasnorhafiza, Ikhwan, & …Zuhairusnizam.

(2019). Foundation Physics II. Earth’s Magnetic Field, 7-8.

Cain, F. (2009, March 12). What is Earth's Magnetic Field? Retrieved from Universe
Today Web site: https://www.universetoday.com/27005/earths-magnetic-field/

POST LAB QUESTIONS

1. When does a current carrying conductor experience a maximum magnetic force and zero
magnetic force in a magnetic field?
When the conductor is perpendicular to the magnetic field, the force will be maximum
while when it is parallel to the magnetic field, the force will be zero.

2. A wire is bent into a shape of a circle in the plane of the paper and carries a current that
passes through the coil in a clockwise direction. What is the direction of the magnetic
field at the centre of the loop?
Clockwise current will produce a magnetic S pole directed into the page.

3. Two long, straight wires are separated by a distance, r. The wires carry currents in the
same direction. What will happen to both wires?
The parallel current will exert an attractive force on each other. So the two wires will
attract each other. The distance r will decrease.

4. What will happen when the DC power supply is replaced by an AC power supply in this
experiment?
The needle of the magnetometer will constantly change (move from right to left)