EM induction experiment to determine the moment of a magnet

Bhabesh Sarangi
(Dated: April 23, 2019)
In this experiment, we use expEYES kit, we drop a magnet through a coil, an emf is induced in
the coil according to Faradayas law of electromagnetic induction. The plot of emf versus time has
a specific shape with two peaks devised. If we use a long conducting tube instead of a simple coil
in this experiment, it can even help in measuring the eddy current damping coefficient k.

I. INTRODUCTION of turns of the coil and B is the magnetic field produced

Electromagnetic Induction or Induction is a process in
which a conductor is put in a particular position and
magnetic field keeps varying or magnetic field is station-
ary and a conductor is moving. This produces a Voltage
or EMF (Electromotive Force) across the electrical con-
ductor. Michael Faraday discovered Law of Induction in
1830.
due to the small cylindrical bar magnet at the centre of
the coil.
Firstly, we will consider the case in which the magnet is
moved through the coil with a constant velocity using
some mechanism. We can consider the magnet with a
dipole moment m as a current-carrying loop having n
turns if the length of the magnet is appreciably small.

m = NIA = NIπr2
NIr2 = m
π ..........(3)
II. THEORY
where r is the radius of the cylindrical magnet.
The flux through a coil can be changed in many
ways, such as moving the coil in a magnetic field or We know that the field along the axis of the circu-
moving a magnet back and forth through the coil. lar coil is given by
Here we discuss the case in which the coil is fixed and
the magnet is dropped through it from a height. The µo N Ir 2
B= 2(r 2 +x2 )3/2
emf induced in the coil versus time can be examined
with a cathode-ray oscilloscope or any other measuring where x is the distance from the centre of the magnet to
device. The curve is obtained on a computer screen the centre of the coil.
using the expEYES kit, giving two peaks. We can
also note that the second peak is bigger than the B= µo m
2π(r 2 +x2 )3/2
first peak, due to the acceleration of the magnet as
it moves down, showing that the emf depends on the So from 2, we get,
velocity of the magnet. We can also see that the emf
increases with an increase in the moment of the magnet. emf = -NA d(B) dt = - µ2π
om d
NA dt (r2 + x2 )−3/2 =
If we can obtain a mathematical expression for the 3µo m 2 2 −3/2
induced emf as a function of time then the above exper- 2π NA(r + x ) xv
..........(4)
iment can be used to measure the moment of the magnet. where v = velocity of the magnet
The derivation of the expression will be easier if
consider the magnet to be a current-carrying coil or a
solenoid. If the magnet is small we can approximate
it as a plane current-carrying coil; otherwise we can
approximate it as a current-carrying solenoid.

For a small magnet, the induced emf is given by,

dφ
emf = -N dt ..........(1)

where φ is the flux.

Now according to Faradayas law,

d(BA) φ FIG. 1. A schematic representation of a small magnet moving
emf = -N dt (as B = A) ..........(2)
horizontally through a coil.
where A is the area of the coil, N is the number
 2

1/2gt2 )2 )−5/2 gt ..........(6)

Here we consider the coil to be located at the origin
and the magnet to be moving horizontally along the
x-direction, as shown in figure 2. So x varies from some
axo to xo .
III. OBSERVATION
Since v is constant,

x = -xo + vt

So 4 can be written as

emf = 3µ2π om
NA(r2 + (vt + −xo )2 )−3/2 v(−xo + vt)
..........(5)

If the velocity is constant we can see that both

the peaks will have the same value.However, in general,
the velocity will not be a constant due to air resistance
and gravitational forces unless there is some external
mechanism. If we drop the magnet vertically along the
z-direction keeping the coil at origin, as shown in figure
2.

Here we have used a cylindrical magnet having 10 mm

length and diameter 5mm and a coil having 3000 turns.
The values of the peak voltages are -2.196 and 2.432 V
and are separated by 12ms. The amplitude of the graph
will be different if we use a magnet having a different
strength or if we drop the magnet from a different height.

FIG. 2. A schematic representation of a magnet falling verti-

cally through a coil.

z = -zo + 1/2gt2
v = gt

here -zo is the initial position of the magnet.

FIG. 3. Curve fitting: Determine the value of the magnetic
Here g is the acceleration of the magnet. On pass- moment m
ing through the coil, g decreases due to eddy current
damping. Eddy current damping is responsible for the
time delay in magnets falling through a long conductor.
If the coil is short we can neglect this. So the emf will IV. CALCULATION
be
From equation(6) we got,
3µo m
emf = 2π NA(-zo + 1/2gt2 ) x (r2 + (−zo +
 3

emf = a X (-0.05 + 21 gt2 ) X ((0.05)2 + (0.05 + 12 gt2 )2 )5/2 signal transmission etc.
X gt
3µo m
where a = 2π NA
VI. PRECAUTION
So, by curve fitting, we can easily determine the
value of the magnetic moment m, proving that the em • The connection should be tight.
induction experiment can be used to determine the
moment of a magnet. Therefore,by fitting the curve • The spring loaded probe should be allowed to rest
in Python 2.7,we got a = 4.3 X 10−9 as shown in figure 3. on the sample very gently, other wise it may dam-
age the conducting surface of the sample or even
3µo m
here a = 2π NA = 4.3 X 10−9 break the sample.
a2π
So m = 3µo mN A = 0.12 Am2
VII. ADDITIONAL EXPERIMENTS DONE

• Measuring Voltage

V. RESULT AND CONCLUSION • Measuring Resistance

• Measuring Capacitance
From the graph obtained in figure 3, the second peak
is bigger than the first peak, due to the acceleration • Direct and Alternating Currents
of the magnet as it moves down, showing that the emf
depends on the velocity of the magnet. We can also see • AC mains pickup
that the emf increases with an increase in the moment
of the magnet. • Separating DC and AC components
• Human body as a conductor
Moment of the magnet using EM induction: m =
• Resistance of human body
0.12Am2
• Digtizing sound
Here we learned how to use the expEYES kit to
determine the magnetic moment of the magnet only • Light dependent resistors
we can perform different experiments like Opto-electric