P H Y S I C S

L A B O R A T O R Y

M A N U A L

Magnetic Field Due to Currents

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Lab

he magnetic field produced by permanent magnets is a familiar phenomenon (fridge magnets, or those horseshoe shaped ones in Bugs Bunny cartoons). However, there is another much more useful source of magnetic field: moving electric charges. And electric currents are made up of moving charges, lots and lots of them. So, the purpose in this lab is to look at how currents generate magnetic fields, their strength and their orientation. The approach in this lab will be inquiry based; meaning that you will not be give specific step by step instructions with a predefined conclusion. Instead, you will be given a little guidance, and then you will use hands on experimentation, critical reasoning, and group discussion to generate understanding of our physical universe. In practice, this is how novel science is done. DC power supply, resistance box, small compass, digital multimeter, wires with banana plugs, clamp stand, magnetic field probe, LabPro interface and software, 3200 turn solenoid, throw switch, round magnet, iron filings, cardboard sheet
A P P A R A T U S

Part I. Characterize the Magnetic Field with a Compass

For Part I, your task is to determine as much as possible about the physical properties of the magnetic field around a current-carrying wire using a compass. During the course of your work, keep in mind that for your write up you will need to explain the general procedure you developed, making sure to highlight steps where you ran into experimental issues, and what solutions you came up with to resolve those issues. Also, make suggestions for improvements of the apparatus and why you would make them. Dont worry about carrying out a perfect experiment on your first go round the name of the game is to try, making the inevitable mistakes, and then to revise your methods based on what worked and what didnt. Ultimately, strive to obtain sound data upon which you can make well-founded conclusions. Setup Suggestions Setup a simple current loop running from the DC power supply through a 10 resistor. You may want to use a multimeter to watch the current in the loop. Use a long straight section of the wire for your measurements.

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L A B O R A T O R Y

M A N U A L

Warning: the power supply can generate significant current. Be sure to use the 10 resistor only, it is rated for 3 W of power. Keep the total power through your circuit below 3 W.

Questions to ask yourself when developing your experiments:

(Remember

= 2 , and is be 10 for the resistor. Thus, what is your maximum ?)

How does the compass work? (e. g. Can it be used in any orientation?) Is there background? How do we obtain quantitative data? What can you vary? What can you measure? How do you define your coordinates/ angular displacements? Is your method reproducible?

Analysis Analyze your data graphically using Excel. Be sure to fit the lines (or curves). Make interpretations of you graph(s), do they shed light on the nature of the magnetic field due to a current? What conclusions can you draw? Be sure to explain. Do your trust your results (reproducible? noisy data?). What precautions did you take to prevent experimental problems (e.g. systematic errors, reproducibility)?

Part II. Characterize the Magnetic Field of a Solenoid

The solenoid is simply a long wire tightly wound into a cylinder. By passing current through it, it becomes an electromagnet because winding of wire generates a magnetic field, just like the wire used in Part I. So if you imagine superimposing the fields of hundreds of wires together (from the hundreds of windings), you see that the solenoid can generate much higher magnetic fields than a single wire. Another advantage of the solenoid is that the magnetic field can be quickly switched on and off, unlike a permanent magnet; for this reason solenoids have many practically uses. Can you name any? For Part II, your task is to characterize the magnetic field of the solenoid with an iron core. Try using the compass and the LabPro magnetic field probe to get as much quantitative information as possible about the magnetic field. As above, keep in mind that you will be expected to explain the general procedure you developed, making sure to highlight steps where you ran into experimental issues, and what solutions you came up with to resolve those issues. Setup Suggestions
The 3200 turn solenoid is only rated to 0.1 A, so be sure to keep the current limited!

First secure the iron core inside of the solenoid. Then, with the power supply off, connect the solenoid in series with the resistor from the setup you used in Part I. The computer has two files prepared for collecting data with the magnetic field probe. Also, as with any measurement device, you may want to test your magnetic field probe to see how it is meant to work.

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L A B O R A T O R Y

M A N U A L

Analysis As for Part I, analyze your data graphically using Excel. Be sure to fit the lines/ curves. Make interpretations of you graph(s), do they shed light on the nature of the magnetic field generated by passing current through the solenoid? What conclusions can you draw? Be sure to explain. Do your trust your results (reproducible? noisy data?). What precautions did you take to prevent experimental problems (e.g. systematic errors, reproducibility)? Compare the two measurement devices (compass vs. magnetic field probe) considering the following. Which device (compass or sensor) do you like better for characterizing the strength of the field? The direction of the field? Is one more accurate than the other? More sensitive? Explain.

Part III. Shape of the Field & Magnetic Force

These two activities are qualitative demonstrations to help in our understanding of the magnetic field due to currents. With the current applied to your solenoid, place the cardboard over it and sprinkle some iron filings on top. Do you see the shape of the field? To see the effect of running current through the solenoid, hold or place the permanent cylindrical magnet near the hollow core of the solenoid when you apply current. For best results, put the throw switch in series to allow you to quickly switch on and off the current.

10/22/2012 10:33 AM