What is a tangent galvanometer?
Electric current is often measured using a device called a tangent galvanometer. The device that was able to measure the presence, as well as the direction and strength of the currents, was first used in the early 18th century. Usually it has a vertical coil of copper wire, wrapped around a circular frame and a compass in the middle. The compass needle generally responds to the magnetic field of electric current, which is compared to the magnetic field of the Earth in the experiment. This scientific instrument has been built in many forms and more modern often use rays of lights to determine measurement while some versions are used to measure the Earth's magnetic field
The tool works on the basis of a tangent law of magnetism. This principle defines the point of the angle that passes through the compass needle, as a proportional ratio of how strong the two magnetic fields are. These fields are usually perpendicular to each other. The measured currents are usually proportional to the tangent of the same angle that the needle passes.
The tangent galvanometer is usually placed on a flat surface and the compass is used to level the coil north to the south. The compass needle is then usually sorted with the direction of the coil, so when the current is applied, the needle angle can be measured. On the tangent galvanometer, the compass needle rotates in any horizontal direction. The scale on the device has four quadrants, each equal to a quarter of the circle, while the indicator attached to the needle at right angles can provide the means to read the scale and measure.
Most tangent galvanometers have a single ring, but some species have two rings side by side. The distance between the rings may vary depending on the tool. For optimal magnetic field, however, the distance between them should be the same as the radius of the coil.
One of the design problem of a tangent galvanometer is often needed to have a short needle that does not entail the magnetic field of the Earth. Small current changes are often difficult to read if the needle is too short, so some modern types areThe Ngan galvanometer can use a hollow change connected to the mirror. When the light is focused on the mirror, it can pass through the needle and light on the scale to make small position changes during the tangent galvanometer experiment.