Magnetic Field

Advanced Electromagnet ics Laboratory

Experiment no. 4
Mercado, Rholinina Marie V., Olano, Christoper L, Panganiban, Vianca Camille C., Pacanan, Mark Jonel M., Ramo,
Boris M.
201110727, 201113115, 201110953, 201110093, 201110397
Tuesday 10:30-1:30
Marie_mercado1429@yahoo.com, olanochristopher@gmail.com, viancamillypanganiban1813@gmail.com,
mark.pacanan.10@gmail.com, borisramo@gamail.com
Abstract the experiment tackles the characteristics and
direction of the magnetic field wherein it is the magnetic effect of
magnetic materials such as a bar magnet and electric currents
such as a current carrying coil where current is induced that
produces the magnetic field. The magnetic was observed through
the use of a compass and then documented the direction of the
field.

the wire. The direction of the magnetic field is

perpendicular to the wire and is in the direction the fingers
of your right hand would curl if you wrapped them around
the
wire
with
your
thumb
in the

KeywordsMagnetic, Field, Coil, current carrying coil,

induced current, magnet, bar

I.

INTRODUCTION

A magnetic field is the magnetic effect and

produced by electric currents and magnetic materials.
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. It can be macroscopic currents in wires,
or microscopic currents in wires or microscopic currents
associated with electrons in atomic orbits. Below are the
samples on how the magnetic field and electric field
behaves on conducting materials.

Figure 4.1.shows how a magnetic is produced in

a current carrying coil. Wherein when electric current
flows through in a conductor and when it moves in a
circular motion which is called induced current, it
produces the magnetic field around the conductor.
The magnetic field lines around a long wire which
carries an electric current form concentric circles around

direction of the current. [1]

Figure 4.2 shows a long straight coil of wire
which can be used to generate a nearly uniform magnetic
field similar to that of a bar magnet. Such as coils, called
solenoids, have an enormous number of practical
applications. The field can be greatly strengthened by
the addition of an iron core. Such cores are typical in
electromagnets.

Figure 4.3 shows the direction of the magnetic field

caused by the magnetic bar which is from North to
South.

II.

MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT

A. Materials

Graphing paper
Compass
Magnetic bar

B. Equipment

Multimeter
Power Supply
III.

PROCEDURE

For the magnetic field of the magnetic bar

Let a double sheet of graphing paper be placed in center
with the magnetic bar , lined side up, on the plotting
board, fastening it with pins at the corners. Then move
the bar magnet far away and align the plotting board to
the earths field as follows. Use the compass to
determine north, and then rotate the plotting board until
the lines of the paper are along this north-south
direction. Label the four edges of the paper north, south,
east, and west accordingly. Try not to move the board, so
that relative to the paper the earths field will point in the
same direction throughout the experiment. Center the bar
magnet on the board parallel to the lines on the paper,
making the north end of the magnet point south. Draw
an outline around the magnet and label the ends N and S
accordingly. If the magnet moves during the experiment,
reposition it on your outline. Set the compass next to the
north end of the magnet. Keeping it nearly touching the
magnet, move the compass around the magnet until it
points south, i.e., parallel to the lines.
Place marks on the paper at both ends of the needle.
Move the compass so that the south end of the compass
needle points to the mark that was at the north end of the
compass needle in the previous step. Then, mark the
north end of the compass needle. Figure 5 shows this
procedure (but for the field line that leaves at 90 from
north). Continue in this fashion until the marks run off
the paper or come back to the magnet. (This step is not
really needed for the first field line which runs off the
paper almost immediately.) Connect the marks with a
smoothly drawn line, and the place arrowheads on the
line showing the field direction. This is a field line.
Instructor: Mark Angelo C. Purio, ECE

I.

Place the compass back against the north end of the

magnet. Move the compass around the magnet until it
points at a 30 angle to the lines on the paper. Repeat
steps 5-8. 10. Place the compass back at the north end of
the magnet. Move it around the magnet (in the same
direction as for the 30 line) until it points at a 60 angle.
Repeat steps 5-8. Repeat these steps for two more field
lines emerging from the north end of the magnet, one
that starts out at 90 (perpendicular to the lines on the
paper) and one that starts out 30 greater than the 90
line (120). Make one more line by starting the
procedure at the south end of the magnet for the field
line that enters this end in the north-south direction. (An
obvious, slight modification to step 6 is necessary. Can
you see what it is?) Also, if the 30 line from the north
end of the magnet ran off the paper, start and trace one
out that enters from the south end at 30 Examine your
field lines. They should show the general shape of Fig.
4b and all but the 0 (and perhaps the 30 ) line should
return to the magnet. If not, check that the magnet was
properly positioned, the magnets north pole is pointing
south.
For the magnetic field of a current-carrying coil
Remove the paper and move the bar magnet far away
from the plotting board so it will not interfere with the
following measurements made with the coil. Using
another double sheet, fold it along the perforation, and
tear a small rectangular section at the middle of the
perforation just large enough so that after you unfold the
paper and pin it to the plotting board, the coil will fit in
the hole. Turn off the power supply and turn down (fully
counterclockwise) both dials on the front. Open the knife
switch and then wire the power supply, \DASI \box
ammeter (labeled CURRENT THRU), and coil as show
in Fig. 6@. Observe the polarities in the diagram, + (red)
and (black). Use the red and black terminals on the
right side of the power supply (labeled +1.5 - 15V, 1
AMP). Use long leads to the coil so that you can keep
the rest of the electrical equipment as far away from the
plotting board as possible. Dont forget to add a wire
from the negative side of the power supply to the green
grounding terminal on the \DASI \box. Turn on the
power supply. Make sure the compass is well away from
the coil, and then close the switch. Adjust the power
supply dial (labeled POSITIVE ) as you watch the

ammeter display a coil current of 0.4 amperes. (More

current would cause the coil to overheat.) If the current
drifts during the experiment, readjust the current back to
0.4 amperes. 5. With current in the coil, use the compass
to determine which end of the coil is the north end. Mark
your paper to show the coils north and south end. Align
the plotting board so that this north end faces
approximately south. Move the compass well away
from the coil and then open the switch. Now use the
compass to more accurately determine north and fineadjust the direction of the plotting board so that the lines
on the paper point east-west and the coil face
corresponding to the north end now points accurately
south. Label the edges of the paper to show the
geographic north, south, east, and west. Move the
compass well away from the coil and then close the
switch. Using the same techniques used for the bar
magnet, plot out the field lines starting from either end
of the coil at the following angles: 0 (north-south
direction), 30 , 60 , 90 (east-west direction). Also plot
the 0 field line from the other end of the coil. Lastly, if
the 30 line ran off the paper, also plot the 30 line from
the other side. Again place a few small arrows showing
the direction of the field at various places on the side
opposite your field lines. Move the compass well away
from the coil and then open the switch.
IV.

Figure 4.5 Actual implementation and observation of

results of the magnetic field caused by the bar magnets

CIRCUIT DIAGRAM

Figure 4.6 Actual implementation and observation of

results of the magnetic field caused by the bar magnets

Figure 4.4 shows the connection of the circuit and its

legends on how to measure the current flowing in the
coil.

Figure 4.7 Plotted direction of the magnetic field caused

by a bar magnet

The strongest external magnetic field is the ones near the

poles. A magnetic north pole will attract the south pole of
another magnet and repel the North Pole as shown in figure
4.7
2.

In the figure below, two bar magnets are placed so

that the north end of one magnet is nearly touching
the south end of the other. Draw the expected field
lines including those inside the magnet.

3.

In the figure below, two bar magnets are placed so

that their north ends are nearly touching. Draw the
expected field lines including those inside the
magnet.

Figure 4.8 Plotted points of a current carrying coil by a

bar magnet
VII.
V.

ANALYSIS OF DATA AND RESULTS

Based from the gathered data there were 3 analysis and

observations made. First, without the bar magnets, the
compass will point towards the geographic North pole in
response to the earths magnetic field. Second, as the students
traced the magnetic field produced by the bar magnet, the
compass needle which is a permanent magnet itself rotates
until it lines up with the magnetic field which is directed
towards the south pole of the bar magnet. Third, a current
carrying coil, can be substituted, rather act as a bar magnet.
VI.
1.

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS

Explain where in each of your two drawings the field

is strongest. How do your figures support that
conclusion?

CONCLUSION

Based on figure 4.7 and 4.8, the magnetic field of a

current carrying coil is that of the magnetic field of
the bar magnet, because of magnetism. Notice that
the bar magnet consists of two poles which are
designated as the North Pole and South. The
magnetic field of force starts from the north pole to
the south pole. This is also the same as the magnetic
field surrounding the current carrying coil of wire.
However the strengths of both applications differ. For
the bar magnet, the strongest field it can produce
externally are at its poles. While for the current
carrying wire, the strongest field it can produce is
within the center of the coil.
REFERENCES
[1] Blackwood, O H, Kelly, W C, and Bell, R M, General Physics, 4th
Edition, Wiley, 1973

[2]
[Online]
Available:
http://web.mit.edu/viz/EM/visualizations/coursenotes/modules/guide08.pdf

[3]
[Online]
Available
astr.gsu.edu/hbase/magnetic/elemag.html

http://hyperphysics.phy-