CONSTRUCTION OF CAREY-FOSTER BRIDGE

INSTRUMENT

BY

ORDUNZE, CHIKE BARTHELOMEW

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 ABSTRACT
A Carey-foster bride instrument was constructed with local available materials. A soft wood,
metal pan, constantain wire, meter rule, plug socket and screw nuts were used to construct
Carey-Foster Bridge Instrument for measurement of resistance of two different components and
medium resistance using the principle of Wheatstone Bridge variant

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 CHAPTER ONE
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Experimental physic instrument such as Carey-Foster bridge constructed in the project excises
refers to physics instrument used in the laboratory to measure two nearly equal resistances,
medium resistance with the use of Wheatstone bridge variant. This instrument has been
unavailable in the school laboratory hence making the course curriculum difficult to be taught.
So the need to promote staff in the field of technical arise and motivate the project.
OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The purpose of the project is as follow:
1. To construct a portable Carey-Foster bridge that can be used in tour school laboratory for
experiments.
2. To measure two nearly equal resistances in our physics/electronics Technology
department, Electrical and electrical department and other science/engineering
departments.
3. To have it mainly in laboratory for one student per one instrument.
4. To teach students the skill on how to produce the instrument in large quantity for sale and
profit making.
5. To make it available for NBTE accreditation.
6. To certify criteria for my office promotion
JUSTIFICATION/IMPORTANCE OF THE STUDY
1. The instrument is one of the course curriculum which have not carried out in practical
since this polytechnic started due to absence of Carey-Foster instrument, but as it is
constructed, students can now begin to carry out practical on this topic.
2. This project was carried out based on economic relevance of Carey-Foster instrument in
Polytechnics.
3. NBTE accreditation is pass mark on this practical part and equipment assessment.
4. The project has saved school money that would have been used to procure the device.
5. It is a source of revenue to school, students and private technologist.

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 CHAPTER TWO
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Materials measurements and cost materials used are:
1. Wood L=112 cm, W=15.50 cm, B=2.0 cm 3500
2. Meter rule 100 cm 700
3. Constantain wire 102 cm 0.04 cm radius 2100
4. Metal plates 5 pieces (half sheet) 3000
5. Screw nut 20 pieces 1000
6. Suckets 14 pieces, 500 x 14 7000
7. Paint 500
8. Brush 500
9. Plyer 800
10. Harmer 500
11. Screw driver 500
12. Ruler (transparent type) 50

METHODS AND CIRCUIT DIAGRAM

METHOD
A soft wood was measured and cut into a desired size. Properly smoothened and carefully
perforated into holes. A 100 cm meter rule was constructed and fixed on top of the smooth wood
with right hand side marked as A point and left hand side marked as B point ending it. It screwed
strongly to ensure that it cannot fall out from the wood during minor hazard. The L-shape of the
metal strips were fixed with screw hardy on the wood.
A constantain wire of length 102 cm of 0.04cm diameter was tight from point A to terminate at
point B. it was connected to contact the two L-shape metal strips to that electrical conductivity
will be through. sockets were fixed at their perforated hole with little nut holding them. The
instrument was painted to resist rusting and easy molt.

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TESTING
The Carey-Foster bridge instrument constructed was tested in practical using it to compare two
nearly equal resistance P and Q and the following practical results were obtained as in the table
2.1 which confirmed that it good and ready for laboratory uses.
Length 51.50 48.50 54.0 46.0
S/N 1 2 3 4
Table 2.1. Length of potentiometer wire
Another test carried on the instrument was the use of potentiometer to determine resistance per
unit length of potentiometer wire.
The results were obtained as in the table 2.2.
R (Ω) 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
L (cm) 60.5 64.0 66.0 61.0 59.0 58.0 54.0 44.0

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 CHAPTER THREE
RESULT AND DISCUSSION
RESULTS
From the first experimental test conducted on the constructed instrument Carey-Foster bridge,
results obtained were:
Length 51.50 48.50 54.0 46.0
S/N 1 2 3 4
DISCUSSION
From the first experimental test carried on the project device which is on comparison of two
nearly equal resistances P and Q.
Given that:

P L2 −L1
=1+
Q L3−L 4
P 2.5
=
Q 4
P 3
=
Q 4
P
=3: 4
Q
P=3
Q=3
From the answers, obtained, resistance P=3 and resistance Q=4. Resistance P is nearly equal to
P 3
resistance Q, that is = when P :Q=3 :4
Q 4
This result indicates that the project device constructed is good for laboratory uses.
In another experimental test conducted on the project device, according the above results.
Given that:

L= ( L E+ R ) L but if the Leclanchell cell E therefore E = LE+LR

From the equation, we have:

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R 1 Er
L
=−Lr ()
+
L E0
y=mx+c
From the graph plotted, r =0.09 Ω , E=1.2V
Considering the answers, where internal resistance r =0.09 Ω and the battery used E=1.2V . This
shows that the Carey-Foster bridge constructed is good because the battery used was an old fairly
used battery which the voltage has dropped from 1.5 V to 1.2 V and the internal resistance is
minimal to 0.09 Ω

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 CHAPTER FOUR
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
SUMMARY OF THE RESULTS AND CONCLUSION
The project device uses the principle of Wheatstone bridge variant. It measures medium
resistance or measure small difference between two large resistances. But if we interchange the
resistance (D and Q) as connected to the outer gaps as in the diagram
RECOMMENDATION
The construction of Carey-Foster bridge is recommended to students and others to produce it in
large numbers so that it can be sold to other schools/university for revenue to Imo State
Polytechnic, Umuagwo-Ohaji.
Tools for the construction are recommended for supply so that it can enhance large construction.

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 REFERENCES
Bellot, H. H. (2011). History of University College, London, 1826–1926. London: University of
London Press.
Brock, W. (2014) “George Carey Foster.” In Dictionary of Nineteenth-Century British Scientists,
edited by Bernard Lightman, vol. 2, pp. 718–720. Bristol: Thoemmes Continuum, 2004.
Fison, A. H. (2015). “George Carey Foster.” Journal of the Chemical Society, Transactions 115:
412–427.
Fox, J. W. (2000). From Lardner to Massey: A History of Physics, Space Science and
Astronomy at University College London, 1826 to 1975. Available from
http://www.phys.ucl.ac.uk/department/history/BFox1.html.
Gooday, G. (1990). “Precision Measurement and the Genesis of Physics Teaching Laboratories
in Victorian Britain.” British Journal for the History of Science 23 (1990): 25–51.
Harte, N., and John N. (2014). The World of University College, London, 1828–1978. London:
University College, 1978.
Lodge, O. “George Carey Foster, 1835–1919.” Proceedings of the Royal Society of London 96A
(1919–20): xv–xvii.
The Morals of Measurement: Accuracy, Irony, and Trust in Late Victorian Electrical Practice.
Cambridge, U.K.: Cambridge University Press, 2004.

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