The suspension fibre carries a small horizontal divided circle called the Torsion-circle, and a stirrup with an index, which can be placed so that the index coincides with any given division of the torsion circle. The stirrup is so shaped that the magnet bar can be fitted into it with its axis horizontal, and with any one of its four sides uppermost.
To ascertain the zero of torsion a non-magnetic body of the same weight as the magnet is placed in the stirrup, and the position of the torsion circle when in equilibrium ascertained.
The magnet itself is a piece of hard-tempered steel. According to Gauss and Weber its length ought to be at least eight times its greatest transverse dimension. This is necessary when permanence of the direction of the magnetic axis within the magnet is the most important consideration. Where promptness of motion is required the magnet should be shorter, and it may even be advisable in observing sudden alterations in magnetic force to use a bar magnetized transversely and suspended with its longest dimension vertical[1].
450.] The magnet is provided with an arrangement for ascertaining its angular position. For ordinary purposes its ends are pointed, and a divided circle is placed below the ends, by which their positions are read off by an eye placed in a plane through the suspension thread and the point of the needle.
For more accurate observations a plane mirror is fixed to the magnet, so that the normal to the mirror coincides as nearly as possible with the axis of magnetization. This is the method adopted by Gauss and Weber.
Another method is to attach to one end of the magnet a lens and to the other end a scale engraved on glass, the distance of the lens
- ↑ Joule, Proc. Phil. Soc., Manchester, Nov. 29, 1864.
