Physics Laboratory: Magnetism

Goals:

Predict the direction of the magnet field for different locations around a bar magnet and
electromagnet.

Compare and contrast bar magnets and electromagnets.

Identify the characteristics of electromagnets that are variable and what effects each variable
has on the magnetic field's strength and direction.

Relate magnetic field strength to distance quantitatively and qualitatively

Discussion:
Permanent magnets, such as a bar magnet or a magnetic needle, when suspended freely, always
pint in the north-south direction. The end of the magnet pointing toward the north is called the north-
seeking or north pole, and the end pointing toward the south is called the south pole. The pole-force
law or law of pole describe s the interactions between the poles of magnets. According to the law,
the like magnetic poles repel each other, whereas unlike magnetic poles attract each other.

Magnets always have two poles. A magnetic monopole (a single north or south pole) has not been
observed. If you break a bar magnet in half, each half becomes two shorter magnets, still with two
poles. This behavior is different from that of electric charges, because two type of charges can exist
separately.

Just as an electric charge creates an electric field, a magnet creates a magnetic field that surrounds
every magnet. Like an electric field, a magnetic field is a vector quantity.

A magnetic field exerts a force on moving electric charges. The study of interactions between
electrically charged particles and magnetic fields is called electromagnetism. Experimentally, it is
found that the magnetic force is proportional to the particles's charge and its speed. When the
velocity (v) is perpendicular to the magnetic field (B), the magnetic force exerted on the charge is
used to define the magnetic field as

B = F / qv
Thus, magnetic field is given by the magnetic force (F) per unit charge (q) per unit speed (v).
A current-carrying conductor generates a magnetic field. This phenomenon was first discovered by
Orsted in 1820. Orsted observed that as soon as a current was established in a wire, a nearby
compass needle was deflected from its usual orientation. This key observation unified the theories of
electricity and magnetism.

A solenoid is a long coil of wire wound into a succession of closel spaced loops. The magnetic field
at the center of a solenoid of length (L) have (N) loops and carrying a current (I) is

B = 0NI / L
(you know what 0 is -- right?)

Click Here to Run Simulation Lab

Before You Begin (Setup):

Use defaults

o Show Field is checked

o Show Compass is checked

Click on 'Bar Magnet' tab at the left

Questions (in italics):

1. Bar Magnet

a. Move the compass slowly along a semicircular path above the bar magnet until you
have put it on the opposite side of the bar magnet. Describe what happens to the
compass needle. The compass needle rotates by 180 degree smoothly. It
always tries to align itself along the field.

b. How is the strength of the force/torque on the compass needle indicated? (Hint:
move the needle near the magnet and the move the needle far away from the
magnet -- what do you notice? By the intensity of the color and fading. Brighter
compass needle means stronger field and direction is along the needle.

Before You Begin (Setup):

Click on the 'Electromagnetic' tab.

Use defaults

o Show Field is checked

 o Show Compass is checked

o Show Electrons is checked

2. Electromagnetism

a. Click on the 'Electromagnet' tab.

b. Move the compass along a semicircular path above the coil until you have put it on
the opposite side of the coil.

1. Describe what happens to the compass needle. The compass needle

rotates by 180 degree smoothly. It always tries to align itself along the
field.

2. Is there any similarity with the bar magnet above? Exactly similar.

c. Slide the voltage to around 1 volt.

1. What happens to the speed of the electrons (the current) in the coil?
Increased

2. What happens to the intensity of the magnetic field? Increased

3. What law relates the magnetic field to the current in a wire? Ampere's law

4. What is the intensity of the magnetic field within the coil if the coil has 4 loops
(i.e., number of turns), a current of 0.15 A, and a coil length of 0.5 m? 1.51
Micro Tesla (Assume the permeability of the space around and within the
coil is nonmagnetic, such as air or a vacuum.)

Just For Fun:

Before You Begin (Setup):

Click on 'Bar Magnet' tab at the left

Use defaults

o Show Field is checked

o Show Compass is checked

Check 'Show planet Earth'

3. Planet Earth

a. Where is the Earth's North Pole?

b. When we say the Earth's North Pole, we are referring to what North Pole? (Hint:
don't look at the Earth)

c. What color is the North Pole of the needle?