earth's magnetic field component

Question

Horizontal component of Earth's field Bh relates to total B and dip angle δ by?

RankGuru · Accepted Answer

1. **Magnetic Elements**: Earth's total field ($B$) at any point can be resolved into horizontal ($B_h$) and vertical ($B_v$) components.
2. **Angle of Dip ($\delta$)**: This is the angle made by the total magnetic field vector with the horizontal direction.
3. **Trigonometry**: In the right-angled triangle formed by the components:
   - $B_h = B \cos \delta$
   - $B_v = B \sin \delta$
4. **Conclusion**: The horizontal component is the projection of the total field onto the horizontal plane, given by **$B \cos \delta$**.

Rank Guru

earth's magnetic field component

Select the correct option: