Analysis of the Induced Magnetic Field Through a Current

Carrying Solenoid and its Properties

Paul Daniel Gaton1, Jay Vee Estrada1, Juan Paolo Paeldon2, and Sarah Jessa Lacsina3*
Geodetic Engineering Department, College of Engineering, University of the Philippines, Diliman
2
Chemical Engineering Department, College of Engineering, University of the Philippines, Diliman
3
College of Architecture, University of the Philippines, Diliman
*Corresponding author: sclacsina@upd.edu.ph
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Abstract
Magnetic fields can be induced on many things such as, in this case, a solenoid.
As current flows through the solenoid, an induced magnetic field is created.
The magnetic field can be affected by things such as the number of turns in the
solenoid and its length. This magnetic field was analyzed using a magnetic
field sensor and readings were taken through the length of the solenoid. These
values were then plotted and the permeability constant was graphically
determined to be 1. Also the induced magnetic field was compared to that of
permanent magnets.
Keywords: electric current, magnetism, magnets, magnetic field, solenoid

1. Introduction
A solenoid is a conducting wire tightly wound into a helical coil whose diameter is significantly smaller than
its length. When an electric current is introduced into a solenoid by connecting it to a power source, forming a
circuit, a magnetic field is formed as an effect. The magnetic field is parallel to the solenoids axis and its direction
is also dependent on the currents direction. At the solenoids core the magnetic field is uniform and stronger
compared to the magnetic field outside the solenoid (Fitzpatrick, 2007). The strength of the magnetic field, B,
inside the solenoid is given by the formula:
B=nI
where is the permeability of free space constant, n is the ratio of the number of loops in the solenoid to its length
and I is the current that induced the magnetic field. The objective of this experiment is to measure the strength of
the magnetic field produced by the current carrying solenoid, specifically the magnetic field at its core. Another
objective of this experiment is to relate the produced magnetic field to the physical characteristics of the solenoid
by looking at the changes in the magnetic field as these characteristics are altered. Lastly, the magnetic field
produced by the solenoid will be compared to the magnetic field produced by bar magnets.

2. Methodology
In this experiment the magnetic field was related to the magnitude of the current and then the spacing of turns
within the solenoid. The set-up consists of a metallic slinky whose ends were connected to a PASCO DC power
supply using alligator clips, forming a circuit. The slinky was placed at about 0.25m away from the power source
to avoid interference. The magnetic field was measured using a Vernier LabQuest equipped with a magnetic field
sensor. The sensor was set to HIGH, the duration of data collection was set at 10 seconds and the range of the
magnetic field scale was set to -0.3 to +0.3 milliTesla. The direction of the magnetic field was identified by turning
the power supply with the current set at 0.5 amperes and placing the magnetic sensors probe inside the coil and
pointing it at both ends of the coil and checking the value of the induced magnetic field. After the measuring
instrument and the slinky was set up the first part of the experiment where the effect of varying magnitudes of
current to the produced magnetic field proceeded. The slinky was stretched to 1 meter and was secured by taping
it to the whole length of the meter stick. The power source was turned on and the current was set at 0.5 amperes
and it was turned off again. The magnetic sensors probe was then again placed inside and approximately at the
middle of the slinky. The measurement of the magnetic field proceeded with the power supply turned off. It was
then turned on for 5 seconds within the 10 seconds of measurement time and was turned off again. The LabQuest
was then switched to its Graph Screen and the portion of the graph where the power supply was turned on was
selected and the mean magnitude of the magnetic field at that span of time was obtained. This procedure was
repeated at different current values, namely at 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5 amperes. During the second part of the
experiment the length of the slinky was set at different values namely 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1.00 and 1.25 meters. The
magnitude of the current however was set at a constant value of 1.5 amperes. The measurement procedures were
the same as that in part one. The purpose of the last part of the experiment was to visualize the magnetic field
produced by magnet bars at different set ups and combination and to compare it to the magnetic field produced
by the solenoid. A field pattern window and a 3D field tracer was used during this part of the experiment. The
National Institute of Physics
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March 2016
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magnets were simply placed on these devices and the visualized field as seen by the use of arrows in the field
pattern window and the iron filling patterns in the 3D field tracer was then documented.

3. Results and Discussion

(a)
(b)
Figure 1: Sketches of magnetic field lines of (a) large bar magnet and (b) slinky.
The magnetic field lines produced by both the slinky and the large magnet are very similar. Magnetic field
lines exit from the north pole and enter the south pole. Both systems have a magnetic field produced by a bipolar
system.

(a)
(b)
Figure 2: Magnetic field lines of two bar magnets aligned and connected at (a) North and South and (b)
South and South
The setup with both south poles opposite each other (b) produced magnetic field lines in a diverging pattern
while the setup with opposite poles next to each other (a) produced magnetic field lines which converged at the
center. This is the consequence of the magnetic poles interaction. Magnetic poles of the same type repel while
opposite poles attract each other.

Figure 3: Magnetic Field Strength vs current through the solenoid

Figure 3 shows the graph of the measured magnetic field strength at varying current from 0.5 A to 2.5 A. The
curve in Figure 3 is linear. As the current increases, the magnetic field also increases. Therefore, the magnetic
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field is directly proportional to the current. The best-fit line equation of the curve is y=0.1068x + 0.0258, where
x corresponds to current and y corresponds to the magnetic field strength. The slope (0.1068) is related to n or
the increase in magnetic field mT per increase in current Amp. The y-intercept (0.0258) is the magnitude of the
magnetic field in mT when the current is 0 Amp.

Figure 4: Magnetic field strength vs number of turns per unit length n of the solenoid
Figure 4 shows the graph of the measured magnetic field strength at different number of turns per unit length.
The curve in Figure 4 is linear. As the magnetic field increases, the number of turns per unit length of the solenoid
also increases. Therefore, the magnetic field is directly proportional to the turns per unit length of the solenoid.
The best fit line equation of the curve is y=0.0033x-0.15833, where y is the magnitude of the magnetic field while
x is the number of turns per unit length n. The slope is the increase in magnetic field strength per n, while yintercept is the magnitude of the magnetic field when n is equal to zero.

=( ) ( )

= (. ) ( )

= .

(. ) (. )
%=|
| % = |
| % = %

.
=

The value of permeability constant = . The average of from from the given data
I
in figure 3 was used to get the percent deviation of the experimental value of , equal to 22%.
B

4. Conclusion
In conclusion, the experiment was successful in analyzing the induced magnetic field on the current carrying
solenoid. The experimental data agree with the predictions done from the theoretical concept. The graph of the
data from the first experiment roughly shows that as the current increases by an Amp, the magnetic field increases
by 0.1068, which corresponds to the slope identified from the graph. On the other hand, the graph of the second
experiment shows that as the number of turn increases by 1, the magnetic field increases by 0.0033, which
corresponds to the slope identified from the graph. From the first and second experiment, it was found that as the
current increases, the magnetic field also increases and as the number of turns per unit length increases, the
magnetic field also increases. It meets our theoretical understanding that magnetic field is directly proportional to
the current as the equation B=nI implies. We were also able to calculate the permeability constant by estimating
1.26 x 10-6 TmA-1, which is very close to the actual value 4 x 10-7 TmA-1 with a 22% error. All observations and
calculations become possible because within the coils, a strong magnetic field arises whenever current is run
through the wire. The direction of the magnetic field depends on the direction of the current. Knowing this, it can
be said that solenoid may be used to convert electric current into mechanical motion and force. It can act somehow
as a permanent magnet but one which can be reversed and turned on and off.
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Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank Prof. Raiseth Fajardo for assistance in the experiments conducted and the
University of the Philippines, National Institute of Physics for providing materials needed in conduction of
experiments.

References
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F. Bueche, E. Hecht, Schaums Outline of College Physics, Chapter 31, McGraw Hill, New York City,
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Balista, J. et al., Physics 72.1 Laboratory Manual, (2007).
Fitzpatrick, R. (2007, July 7). Retrieved from
http://farside.ph.utexas.edu/teaching/302l/lectures/node76.html
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