Fig. 521.--Mechanical explanation of the tangent law. Construct an apparatus as shown in the figure. The short wooden block, NS, represents the magnetic needle. This piece of wood turns around its center, C, which may be an ordinary nail. It will now be seen that two different forces act upon N; namely, the weight, G (one or two ounces), and the changeable weights which are placed in the scoop, W (made of cardboard). The height of the roll, or wheel, R, is such that the cord, RN, runs horizontally, when NS stands vertically, i.e., when there is no weight in the little scoop. If the wheel, R, be placed sufficiently far from NS, the string RN, will always remain almost horizontal, even if NS be deviated. The thin hand on NS moves over a vertical scale, which is divided into equal parts, as shown. This scale may be made of cardboard. If the hand point to division 1 when one ounce is placed in the scoop, it will point to 2 for two ounces, to 3 for three ounces, etc. At 45° the needle is deviated at its greatest angle, and this is, therefore, the sensitivity angle of the tangent galvanometer. The deviating values are, therefore, proportionate to the scale parts 01, 02, and 03, and so on; and, inasmuch as these themselves are tangents, the tangent law will hold good.
Ques. How is the tangent galvanometer constructed to give direct readings?
Ans. To obviate reference to a table, the circular scale of the instrument is sometimes graduated into tangent values, as in [fig. 520], instead of being divided into equal degrees.
Fig. 522.--Queen tangent and sine galvanometer. This instrument properly adjusted can be used as a standard instrument for laboratory work. The brass ring is 12 inches in diameter, and the grooves in which the wire is wound are carefully turned so as to be of true rectangular cross section, thus allowing the constant of the instrument to be accurately calculated and compared with the constant as obtained by other methods. The compass box is 5 inches in diameter and is so held in position that it may be raised or lowered, rotated on its vertical axis, shifted out of the plane of the coil, etc., thus enabling the operator to acquire proficiency with the instrument and to meet all cases of derangement possible. The dial is graduated to single degrees, and the needle is suspended by a very light cocoon fibre. The whole instrument can be turned about its vertical axis, and a quadrant graduated in degrees upon the base allows the amount of rotation to be accurately measured, and the laws of the sine galvanometer investigated. The instrument is wound to measure .25 ampere to 8 amperes.
Ques. What is the objection to the scale with tangent values?
Ans. It is more difficult to divide an arc into tangent lines with accuracy than into equal degrees.
Ques. What disadvantage has the tangent galvanometer?
Ans. The coil being much larger than the needle, and hence far away from it, reduces the sensitiveness of the instrument.
The Sine Galvanometer.--This type of instrument has a vertical coil which may be rotated around a vertical axis, so that it can be made to follow the magnetic needle in its deflections.